Ever since the name of his wife, a covert CIA agent, was made public two years ago, Joseph Wilson has sought political revenge. He openly fantasised that Karl Rove would be “frog-marched out of the White House in handcuffs”.

He may have to wait a little longer. Patrick Fitzgerald, special prosecutor, on Friday did not indict Mr Rove, chief political strategist to President George W. Bush who has testified before the grand jury four times during the investigation.