The latest Paul Krugman column is so deliciously brutal, so merciless toward the Republican slime machine and so crushing it is certain to become a classic.

On Wilson-Plame:

The right-wing media slime machine, which tries to assassinate the character of anyone who opposes the right’s goals — hey, I know all about it — has already swung into action. For example, The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page calls Mr. Wilson an “open opponent of the U.S. war on terror.” We’ve grown accustomed to this sort of slur — and they accuse liberals of lacking civility? — but let’s take a minute to walk through it.

Mr. Wilson never opposed the “war on terror” — he opposed the war in Iraq precisely because it had no obvious relevance to the campaign against terror. He feared that invading a country with no role in 9/11, and no meaningful Al Qaeda links, would divert resources from the pursuit of those who actually attacked America. Many patriots in the military and the intelligence community agreed with him then; even more agree now.

Unlike the self-described patriots now running America, Mr. Wilson has taken personal risks for the sake of his country. In the months before the first gulf war, he stayed on in Baghdad, helping to rescue hundreds of Americans who might otherwise have been held as hostages. The first President Bush lauded him as a “truly inspiring diplomat” who exhibited “courageous leadership.”

In any case, Mr. Wilson’s views and character are irrelevant. Someone high in the administration committed a felony and, in the view of the elder Mr. Bush, treason. End of story.

Yes, end of story. Prepare for the usual mockery from Kause and Sullivan and Instapundit — you know, “Former Enron advisor Paul Krugman….” But that’s all they can do, mock and shriek. They have no legs to stand on here.