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George Tenet Resigns as Intelligence Chief

Comments

[Catsy]

Just blogged on this. Take careful note of the way Bush is framing this. Ask yourself why he's not taking advantage of the opportunity to use this to show that he's cleaning house of the people who screwed up Iraq and/or 9/11.

[Edward]

You bring up a good point Catsy. I suspect that the book publishers are sending Tenet cases of his favorite scotch about now.

[James Casey]

Atrios is framing this as 'Gore Victim #1', which strikes me as a touch unlikely, though I'd like to point out I don't have strong feelings either way on Gore's speech (except it would have been nice to have a YEEEAARRGH in it. There aren't enough YEEEAARRGHs in modern politics).

Anyway, is Tenet really One Of Them? Did he not get on with President Clinton then?

[carsick]

Can the administration still blame him in abstentia?

I guess a test of his loyalty will be coming to his door soon with the publisher's knock, knock, knock.

[carsick]

Can the administration still blame him in abstentia?

I guess a test of his loyalty will be coming to his door soon with the publisher's knock, knock, knock.

I guess it would be pretty tough to say Tenet's personal problem is drinking too much when Chalabi's around.

[Slartibartfast]

As I've said repeatedly, Tenet should have been fired long before Iraq became a concern.

[sidereal]

He shouldn't have had to have been fired. He should have resigned. Nothing like presiding over the worst intelligence failure in American history (well. . maybe 2nd. Pearl Harbor sucked) and keeping your job as head of intelligence.

[Slartibartfast]

No, he had enough downchecks against him before Iraq was even a gleam in GWB's eye.

[Jadegold]

It's damage control.

This appointed administration had to toss someone overboard from the leaky lifeboat and Tenet drew the short straw.

It also is an intriguing bit of theater: is this a pushback from the NeoCons WRT Chalabi?

Regardless, Tenet was pushed and didn't jump.

[Macallan]

Text of Tenet's Remarks to CIA Employees

[Macallan]

OK, this guy has to get to the nod. Come on, Director Codevilla...!!

[Edward]

Thanks for the link Mac.

Two bits from this speech suggest there is no tell-all coming soon:

This is the most difficult decision I have ever had to make. And while Washington and the media will put many different faces on the decision it was a personal decision and had only one basis in fact: the well-being of my wonderful family. Nothing more and nothing less.

and

I want to say a word of special thanks to President Bush (news - web sites). On entering office he immediately recognized the importance of rebuilding our intelligence capabilities. He spends time with us almost every day. He has shown great care for our officers. He is a great champion for the men and women of U.S. Intelligence and a constant source of support. It has been an honor for me to serve as his Director of Central Intelligence.

[Phil]

I think it would have been really funny and all po-mo if Tenet had actually said, "President Bush (news - web sites)."

:)

[Macallan]

... "President Bush, I don't have a link handy, but I'm sure you could google him up, "

[Macallan]

...or...... "President Bush, I don't have a link handy, but I'm sure you could google him up, "

[Edward]

Google him up, Scotty.

[carsick]

Does this mean that through all his deceptions Chalabi is still the man the white house backs the most?

[sidereal]

"it was a personal decision and had only one basis in fact: the well-being of my wonderful family"

Cheney is threatening his family? Scandalous!

[JadeGold]

Two bits from this speech suggest there is no tell-all coming soon

There won't be a tell-all but that's not suggested in Tenet's remarks. Tenet's comments are pretty standard fare by DC standards. A Tell-All by a DCI would likely be impossible to vet through the CIA.

I think the tenor of Tenet's future soundbites will be dictated at the lengths this administration goes (or doesn't go) to try to blame Tenet after the Senate Intelligence and 9/11 Commisision reports come out.