WHOOPS: White House mistakenly identifies CIA chief in Afghanistan.

The CIA’s top officer in Kabul was exposed Saturday by the White House when his name was inadvertently included on a list provided to news organizations of senior U.S. officials participating in President Obama’s surprise visit with U.S. troops.

The White House recognized the mistake and quickly issued a revised list that did not include the individual, who had been identified on the initial release as the “Chief of Station” in Kabul, a designation used by the CIA for its highest-ranking spy in a country.

The author of the article attempts to contrast this inadvertent leak with a supposedly purposeful one from the previous administration, but even that appears to have been inadvertent, according to the leaker himself, Richard Armitage, and the reporter with whom he spoke, Bob Novak: “He mentioned her first name, Valerie…. The exchange about Wilson’s wife lasted no more than sixty seconds. Armitage offered no interpretation of Wilson’s conduct and said nothing negative about him or his wife. I am sure it was not a planned leak but came out as an offhand observation…. Shortly thereafter, he secretly revealed his role to federal authorities investigating the leak of Mrs. Wilson’s name.”

The press treated that leak as a big deal. What of this one?