“I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors.” — George H. W. Bush, speech at the CIA, April 26, 1999

Interesting. Less than six years later, Karl Rove, 43’s brain, is reputed to have outed Central Intelligence Agent Valerie Plame. The reason? Her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, wrote a New York Times op-ed piece laying clear the lies the George W. Bush White House was using to start Junior’s Oedipal war with Iraq. Wilson’s piece led to the discovery of the falsified records and transcripts regarding Saddam’s attempts to buy yellowcake uranium from Niger; it never happened.

When faced with proof of the Bush lies, Rove, through Irving Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, leaked word that Wilson’s wife was a spy with a non-official cover. Rove and Libby, apparently with Cheney’s approval, exposed a years-long covert operation that led to the deaths of multiple agents recruited by Ms. Plame. Rove and Libby did this knowingly and put her and her family in danger.

Why the history lesson? Two reasons: Once his son and cohorts committed treason, GHWB was remarkably silent. Not once did he call his boys “traitors” or advocate their execution ”“ a punishment fit for their crimes. For anyone traveling in Europe or Latin America since the invasion of Iraq, it’s not uncommon to be asked why we Americans have not arrested them and sent them to The Hague and the World Court for trial. The world-at-large considers W, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and much of their administration war criminals who have committed crimes against humanity.

The second reason gets us to recent headlines. Almost two weeks ago, WikiLeaks provided thousands of documents relating to the war to multiple news organizations. This led to both praise and denunciation. Hmmm, another governmental instance where we common Americans “can’t handle the truth.”

Eerily reminiscent of GHWB’s speech to the CIA in 1999, this week Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, called for the execution of Private Bradley Manning, the young soldier thought to be WikiLeaks’ source. The fact that Private Manning hasn’t been tried or even accused of this hasn’t stopped Rogers from demanding death for the soldier.

Still, if true, for a private to take on the entire Department of Defense and the White House single-handedly, demonstrates a conviction to truth that most of us can only imagine. The act is at once praiseworthy, nervy and foolhardy. But I’m for Manning’s actions, if he did indeed do this, and simultaneously for Congressman Rogers’ punishment if Manning is in fact convicted.

Being a lifelong pacifist, however, I have a caveat that pleases my acknowledged dark side, the Old Testament side of me, while providing credits for my karma bank account, the New Testament part that abhors the eye-for-an-eye Old Testament mentality. My solution? I give Congressman Rogers Private Manning. In return, the World Court gets Dick Cheney.

I know, I know, I’m proposing human trafficking, but my heart is in the right place. After all, who could resist my modest proposal: A vicious, vacuous, ill and heartless vice presidential war criminal for a mere whistle-blowing private? As any chess player knows, pawns are for sacrifice, as are privates and VPs. After all, until Cheney, vice presidents were for ribbon cutting, a sacrificial office if there ever were one, and succeeding their masters upon their deaths. Constitutionally, that’s it. Nada. Useless. Nothing more.

Yet, for eight years, Cheney’s cabal drove two losing wars and sacrificed soldiers at whim. What better way to achieve justice ”“ now that’s a nebulous, foreign concept for the average American ”“ than to have Cheney fall on his sword for W? Rogers and Papa Bush are right: Treason is treason and in this rare case two wrongs can make a right. It’s a twofer that necessitates serious consideration: Cheney for Manning. Heck, I’ll even through in that computer geek at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who seems to have had a hand in the exposure.

Wow! Manning and the geek for Cheney. An irresistible temptation, eh? A win-win for everyone. A proposal that has no flaws in its logic. Justice not blind, a little lopsided favoring Congressman Rogers mind you, but justice served. Genius and ingenious on my part with only being a tad disingenuous. Another Plato or Aristotle I am. A 21st century Yoda I be. “Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news!”

And, with Cheney in the Netherlands, the world will be a better, more peaceful place ”“ who could ask for anything more. Damn, I’m good!

— Paul C. Trahan’s column appears Mondays. He lives in Saco.