I haven’t had the chance to read the book by former CIA chief George Tenet, which Harper Collins will release next week, but it has generated its share of controversy. His top-level insider’s account of the pre- and post-9/11 efforts against terrorism have current Bush administration officials unhappy — and in at least two cases, pointing out deficient fact-checking. Tenet misidentifies a key figure in an argument he makes about how back-channel analyses started, and then neglects to mention his own analysis:
Mr. Tenet also directs scorn at the Pentagon intelligence analyses by Douglas J. Feith, then undersecretary of defense for policy. He describes his fury in August 2002 as he watched a slide show by Mr. Feith’s staff at C.I.A. headquarters suggesting “a mature, symbiotic relationship” between Iraq and Al Qaeda.
He said C.I.A. officers came to call such reports, in a play on words, “Feith-based analysis.” In an interview on Friday, Mr. Feith said Mr. Tenet’s account distorts the facts of the Pentagon effort and obscures Mr. Tenet’s own public statements before the war. Mr. Feith noted that Mr. Tenet, in October 2002, sent the Senate intelligence committee a letter that said, “We have solid reporting of senior level contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda going back a decade.” Mr. Tenet describes Tina Shelton, who presented part of the Feith slide show at the C.I.A. in 2002, as a “naval reservist” and quotes her as saying in introductory remarks, “It is an open-and-shut case.”
But Ms. Shelton said Friday she was never a Navy reservist and never said such a thing. She was a Defense Intelligence Agency analyst for 22 years before retiring in October, she said.
Tenet also goes after Michael Ledeen for his efforts to meet with Iranian dissidents living abroad to encourage democratization in the Islamic Republic. Calling it nothing more than “Son of Iran-Contra,” Tenet describes his anger and frustration at hearing of this back-channel effort to undermine the mullahcracy.
Well, boo hoo. First, it’s ridiculous to call this the “Son of Iran-Contra”, since the first Iran-Contra dealt with sending military hardware to the mullahs, not the dissidents. Second, since Iran has postured itself in a state of war against the Great Satan since 1979, why exactly did the CIA skip dealing with the dissidents who could have helped push back against the radical Islamists? The Pentagon apparently understood the necessity of engaging with Iranian dissidents, even if Langley and Foggy Bottom couldn’t figure it out for themselves, and they leveraged those with contacts in that community, including Michael, a CQ reader and a friend of mine.
It reminds me of the hack job Rolling Stone did on Michael last year. James Bamford couldn’t smoke out the the difference between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, when the Rolling Stone reporter wrote that Ledeen’s Iranian contacts claimed the former was hiding in Iran … in December 2001. Rolling Stone still has not corrected that mistake to this day, nearly nine months later. (See Section III.)
Tenet does the same with his recollection of the intel showing strong connections between Iraq and al-Qaeda, a connection that seems even stronger with the capture of Abd al-Hadi al-Iraq, a former Saddam Hussein-era officer in the Iraqi Army (rank: major) who became one of al-Qaeda’s top field commanders. He claims that such arguments are “Feith-based analysis,” but Douglas Feith reminds the Times that Tenet himself told Congress that the CIA had solid reporting of high-level contacts between AQ and Iraq for a decade.
Tenet then misidentifies Tina Shelton as a member of the Feith clique at the CIA and puts words into her mouth. Shelton disputes both her description and Tenet’s characterization of her presentation. That forced Tenet’s co-author to backpedal, apologizing for not getting the facts straight about Shelton’s job, even though it formed a key part of Tenet’s argument regarding her credibility.
I’d say the one with credibility problems is Tenet.
UPDATE: Jeffrey Carr points out that it gets released next week, so I’ll read it then. The New York Times has had access to at least some portions of the book, and even before its release, the co-author is apologizing for getting its facts wrong.
Tenet sounds like some old off-duty cop that got mugged in a parking lot. Then, after the fact, “Yeah, I had a gut feeling that something was going down there, and if it weren’t for my “trick knee” and this bad back, I would’ve gotten the drop on that little punk. Showed him a thing or two….” But in reality, like most other victims, he had no clue what was happening till it was all over.
Perhaps Tenet is thinking of Rep Chris Carney. He was (is?) a Naval Reservist, with the DIA’s Joint Reserve Intelligence Unit (JRIU), which does most of its duty in the Pentagon. And, IIRC, he was mobilized for 9/11.
No! Tenet’s furious. That’s not news to you, is it folks? Colin Powell and Armitage, also part of Bush’s inner ring at first; are now out there, in certainly “less than loyal” mode.
Paul O’Neill, fired during Dubya’s hayday; was the first old man to go. And, survive. And, to shine a flashlight into what was happening inside the Bush White House. Among the things he noticed is that Bush and dialog did not mix. And, that he tolerated NO ARGUMENTS. Loyalty meant you were supposed to climb on board the Dubya “wish train.”
How did some do it? By taping their mouths.
Now, jump over to the CIA. And, is there anything familiar, here, you might recognize? Hmm?
The CIA is the media-friendly beast in DC. That involves itself in assassinations; one way. Or the other. Character assassinations, done with headline ink, is a “specialty.”
To offset the “problem” Dubya knew he’d get from Tenet, he gave him the HIGHEST HONOR bestowed on Americans. (Sort’a like the Oscar going to Fat Albert Gore. For a movie hyped as watchable. So he got it. And, not in the fantasy category, either.)
Well, they said even Marilyn Monroe, to become famous, had to screw some pretty ugly guys behind the scenes. Because their couches werre tossed out there, on the road to stardom.
Stardom and success. Sure, has a lot to do with good bone structure. But that’s not enough. What’s held from view, however, is BACKSTAGE. While you’re in the audience watching the performances; and, perhaps? Believing everything you see?
Nah.
Ya just gotta learn to suspend belief, to make some of these shows work.
Tenet, had a problem. He had this medal. And, he had no good place to stick his “timing.” Except that events from the White House have been very slow. And, lots of people are questioning the results we will anticipate.
If you think about it some; you might want to think about why Ma and Pa Kettle are so negative? Yeah. Politics. One side owns one position. And, the other side has found it doesn’t pay to be “copy cats.”
Okey, dokey, so far.
But why would anyone pick a comical; or losing choice? Just why are Ma and Pa Kettle willing to bet they can get more Americans on their side, now; than Bush can? And, why is it that Budh’s popularity tanks. Not the comedians in the House?
Who’re ya gonna believe?
And, what do you know about the CIA; where they stopped nothing on 9/11. What would you think the DC characters, behind all these organizations … are still thriving?
It’s interesting that Tenet, who almost put his book out last month. Drudge read the AWFUL first paragraph aloud on one of his Sunday night broadcasts … What makes you think he didn’t withdraw it at first, for a hefty re-write?
Now? He’s pouncing on “slam dunk.” You weren’t there. But it seems he is now claiming that the room where the meeting was held was “only for a few.” And, after being peppered for “evidence to go into Iraq,” (which breaks the American taboo of aggression, first). He finally, he now says, threw his hands up in disgust. And, the “slam dunk” comment came out.
Cut to the chase: We’re in iraq because Tenet said “slam dunk.”
Do you see a problem?
Because the bigger divide occurs when you have more and more people, disappointed. (Well, it happened to the American car industry. And, you just can’t go and isolate out unions. The mismangement was on a huge scale.)
Besides. What can Dubya promise now? The Iraqis have elected to have a muslim constitution. They are just a bunch of freaks. Led by an elite group who are in it for the money and the power.
Iraq’s not without some qualities. IF we pulled out? If we really went on our merry way? Well, without our help, Saddam was headed into Saudi Arabia. Kuwait fell to him without a fight. But then, they were beset by waves of terror. Once in with his troops, Saddam ran to the hosptials and dumped kids out of their cradle.
Not that Gulf War One gave Bush #41 a margin of victory, here, in America. But it sure did make those animals in the tents in Riyadh, happy.
TOO BAD WE DIDN’T EXACT A BETTER PRICE!
I don’t know if Tenet will share with his readers, if the collection of crap in the House of Saud, are the folks who pushed 9/11. And, they were, then, pushing Bush forward. As their Realtor. To give them more of the Mideast real estate.
Doesn’t look like Bush has made all that much progress.
Plus, if we were really fighting in Iraq. And, not just keeping soldiers there with instructions on NOT to kill terrorists; then you’d have seen Israel willing to open another front last summer.
We live in a free world where people are free to make up their minds.
Politics works by convincing ONE PERCENT more than 50% of their views. Dubya doesn’t even have that going for him.
I-R-A-K is just a 4-letter word. Sure. More dead bodies show up in South Central LA on any given day. ANd, you don’t hear about it. The same is true for traffic accidents.
What’s also obvious is that Dubya’s not the only one shooting to re-arrange borders around countries. Too bad he also dreams of a violent palestinian state.
James Baker is good! He got Bush into office, in 2000. And, he duked it out with the best: David Boise. Doesn’t mean Baker gets everything he wants, either. (Because I know Arik Sharon took took to building settlements in the West Bank, every time during Bush #41’s tenure; Baker stuck his nose into Israeli politics.)
Where did Dubya go wrong? Attitude. And, lacking a healthy respect for truth-telling with the American people. In other words? FDR got Americans to fight a tougher battle. He did it by going TO THE PEOPLE. Called them “fire side chats.” But they were more than that. At any give one of them, more than 60-million Americans tuned in.
Today? You got Ma and Pa Kettle leading the opposition. And, funny as it is, they’re not shedding voters.
Politics. Ain’t a religion. Might be a sport. But it’s definitely about getting the customers to shop in your store. Dubya will have none of that!
As to praying while in office, how much good did all that prayer do for Jimmy Carter?
Ed writes:
“I haven’t had the chance to read the book by former CIA chief George Tenet, which Harper Collins released this week, but it has generated its share of controversy.”
Um, Ed? You haven’t had a chance to read it because it hasn’t been released yet. Tenet’s book “At the Center of the Storm” comes out on Monday, April 30th.
Furthermore, his publisher, HarperCollins, has not released any review copies. So whatever “fogginess” you’re referring to in your post is built on conjecture, not fact. And, as you know, that’s a sure way to be “foggy” on any subject.
Re: Jeffrey Carr at April 28, 2007 11:59 AM
Some reporters have copies right now. If it’s been printed, they have it. That’s one of the signs that you’re a bigwig in the MSM. Embargoed books find their way onto your desk before even the Barnes and Noble warehouse has it.
“some reporters”?
Who? Not the LA Times, which had to resort to background interviews for lack of a review copy. Not 60 Minutes (who’s interviewing Tenet tomorrow). Which reporters are you referring to exactly?
Ed couldn’t have read the book, even if he wanted to, and anyone who’s writing about it prior to release hasn’t read it. Period.
Drudge had a copy of Tenet’s book LAST MONTH!
Because he read the opening paragraph on the air.
And, it started out “funny.” Drudge, pointing out to his listeners, that Tenet was writing about himself in the 3rd person.
As the book opens, “this third person” is about ti enter Dubya’s office, when a nee-con comes out. Brushes against Tenet. And, says “we’re going into I-R-A-K.
“Step aside, boy?”
Who knows? For a first paragraph it sounded AWFUL! But then, up at Amazon, where I sent to look, the book was “withdrawn” from it’s expected date of issue. To this new one.
And, now, others must have it. Or they couldn’t write copy.
Lucianne ran a clip of this. From the NY Times. And in it, the writer reports that the NY Times BOUGHT it’s own copy of the book. So, the writer could write it up.
Why do we call it “writing it up?”
And, what’s the pre-sales’ number up at Amazon? I do not know. I do know, however, that Tenet’s book is available on CD. If it’s in his own voice? Then it should be interesting. It might even be the first time he’s reading the words he supposedly wrote?
Tom DeLay has a new book out. You’d be surprised what you’d learn if you heard it. (Among other things, DeLay was not exactly pleased with Newt Gingrich. Or Dick Armey. And, even Hastert comes off weak. Are you surprised?)
Books by authors from within the inner circle, if they’re dishing; gives you insights into what was going on.
According to Tenet’s book, when he said “slam dunk” … and then Cheney used this on Meet The Depressed, to explain why we went to war against I-R-A-K, should alone be worth the price on the remainder copies.
IF I-R-A-K were a swimming success, you could be sure there wouldn’t be so much finger-pointing.
Let alone, NOW, Israel is saying very loud and clear, that they’re not asking Dubya to go in and bomb the centrifuges in Iran. Another country that’s a 4-letter word. Stick the “F” word in front of them; and see if I care?
We’d have gotten futher if we had, instead, taught the HOUSE OF SAUD a lesson. Or two. But Bush would never turn against his client! He’s their Realtor, ya know?
Drudge had a copy of Tenet’s book LAST MONTH!
Because he read the opening paragraph on the air.
And, it started out “funny.” Drudge, pointing out to his listeners, that Tenet was writing about himself in the 3rd person.
As the book opens, “this third person” is about ti enter Dubya’s office, when a nee-con comes out. Brushes against Tenet. And, says “we’re going into I-R-A-K.
“Step aside, boy?”
Who knows? For a first paragraph it sounded AWFUL! But then, up at Amazon, where I sent to look, the book was “withdrawn” from it’s expected date of issue. To this new one.
And, now, others must have it. Or they couldn’t write copy.
Lucianne ran a clip of this. From the NY Times. And in it, the writer reports that the NY Times BOUGHT it’s own copy of the book. So, the writer could write it up.
Why do we call it “writing it up?”
And, what’s the pre-sales’ number up at Amazon? I do not know. I do know, however, that Tenet’s book is available on CD. If it’s in his own voice? Then it should be interesting. It might even be the first time he’s reading the words he supposedly wrote?
Tom DeLay has a new book out. You’d be surprised what you’d learn if you heard it. (Among other things, DeLay was not exactly pleased with Newt Gingrich. Or Dick Armey. And, even Hastert comes off weak. Are you surprised?)
Books by authors from within the inner circle, if they’re dishing; gives you insights into what was going on.
According to Tenet’s book, when he said “slam dunk” … and then Cheney used this on Meet The Depressed, to explain why we went to war against I-R-A-K, should alone be worth the price on the remainder copies.
IF I-R-A-K were a swimming success, you could be sure there wouldn’t be so much finger-pointing.
Let alone, NOW, Israel is saying very loud and clear, that they’re not asking Dubya to go in and bomb the centrifuges in Iran. Another country that’s a 4-letter word. Stick the “F” word in front of them; and see if I care?
We’d have gotten futher if we had, instead, taught the HOUSE OF SAUD a lesson. Or two. But Bush would never turn against his client! He’s their Realtor, ya know?
Re: Jeffrey Carr at April 28, 2007 12:46 PM
You don’t think the LA Times has a copy? Of course they do. They just can’t quote it directly because they’re not supposed to have a copy yet.
Here’s Drudge on Tenet’s book, back on April 16th. He obviously doesn’t have a copy because he’s quoting 3rd person, and speculating at that::
http://www.drudgeforum.com/index.php?s=9e90b03fcfcd3f66dbcb5af1bed97d79&showtopic=9671
Re: Jeffrey Carr at April 28, 2007 01:27 PM
Drudge is a sentry–a headline guy. I’m talking about the opinion leaders in the mainstream press. And with a CIA book especially, you know this thing has been around for months getting vetted, and passing through a lot of hands. The contents of this has obviously been whispered about for a long time, even before it went to the printer.
George Tenet is to be accepted as a fount of wisdom and truth?
The thief who absonded with documents from the Archives and then lost/ destroyed them?
What we have here ladies and gentlemen is probably a good bit of revisionist “history”.
RBMN – Sure it’s been whispered about, and vetted iwthin CIA and by the editors at HC, and sure people who are mentioned in the book have talked about their involvement. I’m not disputing any of that.
My issue is that Ed doesn’t seem to be aware that the book hasn’t been published yet, and yet he writes that Tenet is “foggy on the details”. Now I’m willing to give Ed the benefit of the doubt and say that he just “assumed” that the book is out because of the advance press it’s getting, but really – he should at least post an acknowledgement that he jumped the gun; that the book hasn’t been released yet; and that he cannot possibly write with any authority on it until he has a copy.
Gee, maybe that’s because his co-author is already apologizing for getting details wrong, and so far only a few media outlets have seen the book. I understood that the book comes out next week, but the Times apparently have seen some selected sections of the book, as have others.
That’s not terribly unusual, Jeffrey, and arguing with me about the provenance when I’ve already linked to the Times article that reports that Tenet wrote what they did is just a distraction. Argue that point with the Times, not me.
Ed, you wrote “I haven’t had the chance to read the book by former CIA chief George Tenet, which Harper Collins released this week”.
You’re a full-time writer/journalist now, Ed, right? When you guys get your facts wrong, it’s expected that you post an update, isn’t it?
As to the NY Times article, Harlow (Tenet’s co-author) apologized for mis-identifying the job of one analyst. That’s it.
Considering that you didn’t check your own facts (i.e., the book’s release date), you might not want to be criticizing the fact-checking abilities of others.
Steve Centani had a copy on Fox this afternoon.
Tom
It seems to me that I read something earlier today (I’ll try and find the link and story) that said that the NY Times had managed to somehow get their hands on a “complete” copy of the book in advance of its official release. Which has been known to happen-books with an expected high press run aren’t all printed up at the last minute.
And since it’s definitely in the interest of both Tenet and the NYT to bash Bush, it wouldn’t surprise me if Tenet gave them one of his own personal copies!
Ah, that didn’t take long. The story I saw earlier about the NY Times getting an advamce copy of the book in fact came from…
The New York Times.
Quote:
“A copy of the book was purchased at retail price in advance of publication by a reporter for The New York Times.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/washington/27intel.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Poor Jeffrey doesn’t understand how the corporate world of publishing works. Why, some books are even in the number-one -with-a-bullet place in the NYT’s best sellers list before they hit the bookstores.
CBS has its own connections with the publishing business, as well. “Communications” has become a monolith of controlled information. Thus, through television interviews, there is a built-in promotion for “explosive” tell-alls disguised as in-depth news programming.
Just as an aside snark: I guess that Tina is not as photogenic (and thus, not supposedly more credible ?) than Val. The *star* provided the intelligence porn for the ongoing revisionist view of history?
Whenever did “Let’s roll!” evolve into “Let’s poll” as a means of identifying our national will and pride?
Tenet was saying a lot of the same things about AlQaida before Bush ever came along. I don’t know why anyone would take him seriously at this point anyway.
He got his job through his friend Al Gore and now he wants to get back in the club. That is all.
I did hear Mort Kondracke say that Tenet saves most of his dislike for Cheney, he has good things to say about Bush. So I got the impression that Kondracke had seen or read the book. At least part of it.
onlineanalyst said:
“Poor Jeffrey doesn’t understand how the corporate world of publishing works. ”
I knew a rather famous author and screenplay writer (now deceased) for over 30 years, and he always was getting multiple copies of his latest novels from the publisher WEEKS before the actual “publication date”.
And media critics always get advance copies of stuff well in advance. A good friend of mine writes music and video reviews for one of the major Boston papers, and he gets reviewer copies of some stuff 2 months before they are “published”.
Drudge had his eyeballs on the Tenet text.
HE SAID SO! He then read out loud; the introductory paragaph. The FIRST ONE in the book. Which Drudge recommended needed “work” … because it was TERRIBLE.
How terrible? Well, he read it OUT LOUD. And, the paragraph began with “this 3rd person character” … (a stand up for Tenet), about to enter the Oval Office; when one of the neo-cons walke out. Brushes close enough for Tenet to get the “sense” of “mission.” In that the neo-con “brags” WE. ARE. GOING. INTO. IRAQ.
Well, I-R-A-K is a 4-letter word.
And, I know what I heard! Don’t forget, I tend to tune in Drudge’s show every single Sunday nite. (Even when he’s talking about the Oscars.) I don’t care. Drudge is always interesting.
This year’s Oscars? If you want to test me. They had foriegn flags. And, when “winnahs” were announced, you’d see a sea of strange flags being waved from the audience. Drudge said it was the WORST OSCARS in the history of the Oscar Show. And, none of the crap that got awards, was worthy.
He said similar bad stuff about Tenet’s writing style.
But then the book ran into a “pull” from somewhere. And, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the first paragraph has been re-written.
George Tenet is entitled to his opinions, ya know?
But ya can be sure that IF I-R-A-K had more popular support, Tenet just would’a gone “quiet.” And, missing from these actions.
Wazzup?
Well, you all know me, now. I think Dubya’s just the Realtor for the House of Saud.
I also know that Ma and Pa Kettle are not losing voters over on the other side. (Is that called “a roll?”)
Could Tenet by the first one in the water, that would finally “force” a committee in Congress, up ahead, to “Study” why we went in?
We know about the Iraq Study Group. Which is what Bush #41 has sent into his son’s White House.
James Baker is NO FRIEND of anyone but the Saud’s. And, it’s very possible their investment in Dubya has hit the rocks?
Iraq’s a place that can turn out like gazoo?
But ya know what? I DOUBT IT. Ya know why? Gazoo is sunni.
Lebanon’s no piece of cake, either, extolling the virtues of what happens when arabs run things.
As to eygpt, they suck on the American tit. Our Congress is, in fact, very generous with the ONE MAN WHO RUNS THE PLACE.
You think Saddam was a louse? Well, let me intrroduce you to Mubarak.
Now. the future “rolls” in on the wings of chaos. That’s what probability is about. The ways in which you bet one thing. And, something else shows up at the alter, to marry your daughter.
The best laid plans, you see, of mice and men, often goes awry.
Since Tom DeLay said that his leading the impeachment charge of Bill Clinton, was a GOP disaster; you have to wonder IF “a committee” of democraps, might want to do with Dubya? Why impeach, if this only grows support for presidents?
So, if you’re asking me? I’d say the donks know how to measure their lead. They do political studies that shows them the way to reach 50%. PLUS ONE PERCENT.
Bush? I think he’s stuck in a swamp of about 31% Or a drop off even in GOP supporters.
You could check this out as something that happened to Bush #41. Who discounted the “read my lips pledge,” while thinking he was shoring up popular support with Gult War #1.
James Baker is a disaster! His Study Group is also a disaster. And, Gates? Running around trying to implement the Iraqi Study Group plans?
Let me tell ya, lots of people read books.
Some get good at even reading between the lines of books.
As to CHENEY, HE LOST POWER! Maybe, he was put in charge of watching Dubya? But his days of clout are over. Libby’s gone, now. And, his neo-cons have exited. While CONDI marched into Position #2.
Lots of luck with those affirmative action hires, let me tell ya! Dubya’s INCOMPETENTS aren’t gonna help Dubya dig out of his hole.
Not that I know how things get better, ahead.
Because I don’t think there are any keys in I-R-A-K.
Let alone an old lesson that keeps ringing in my ears, from Sun Tzu. Where he recommends to men who fight, JUST DON’T GO TO BED AT NIGHT, HAVING ADDED ENEMIES TO YOUR LIST, that you didn’t have when you awoke.
Look at all the presidents, Americans can look back upon, since JFK. Who got assassinated.
LBJ? Blew it. Forgot the importance of connecting with the American people. Then, we can go through the list with DITTO SIGNS for Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter. And, both Bush’s.
While James Baker took advantage of Reagan!
That’s what happens when you let a character like James Baker have access to levers of power.
Well? Let’s hope the HOUSE OF SAUD gets kicked in the pants. And, also let’s hope the lines in the Mideast aren’t broached where the HOUS OF SAUD gets more power than the sand they deserve.
Will I read Tenet’s book? I put the CD on order. Let’s me listen in my car. Can’t tell ya ahead of time, if I’ll get disgusted.
But I can tell ya Tom DeLay’s book was excellent. But he’s out of power. And, from his own words, he knows that in 1998, from her minority chair in the HOUSE, pelosi went after DeLay, and turned his life upside down.
While I just call her Ma Kettle. That woman knows politics. And, how to ram the opposition.
If you think politics is about love. It isn’t.
It’s about protecting your own side. While you make the opposition pay.
No room for prayers. As most Americans aren’t looking for football, or politics, to be a religous experience, One not suited for anabotic steroid use, either.
Now, if you think Dubya’s got most of the GOP on board his train, he doesn’t.
Heck, that’s what makes DeLay’s tale very interesting. Pelosi did her schtick. And, got helped by Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey.
Here? George Tenet is opposed to Dubya. And, it’s only a question of “hard” or “soft” in terms of how his book lands.
If you want to think we’re in I-R-A-K because of “slam dunk.” then consider this: Tenet is making his entrance, foiling Bush’s claim used to enter I-R-A-K.
While a “ten day fire storm over iran” is not being blessed by Olmert. Said. And, then, countered. Which is not the same as “un-said.”
By the way, without the USA, the SAUD’S can’t advance in I-R-A-K.
As to the Saud’s, they can go cry me a river. The Kuwaitis, too. Just in case you thought the mischief done in Iraq, where the attempts to blame it “on the cave man” fail.
PoorJeffrey is a nitpicker, the type of person who defines what the definition of “is” is, and who, when he was younger, would have long involved discussions on how the sliding doors on the Star Ship Enterprise worked.
They’re sort of fun to tease when you trip across one, and to giggle at their air of superiority when they think they’ve posted an “Aha! Gotcha!”
Notice PoorJeffrey has absolutely no interest whatsoever in whether or not what Tenet actually *says* is true or lies.
So far, the only thing Tenet makes a case for is the case for cleaning house of all DIMS and LIBERALS at the start, and not waiting for them to each individually prove their traitorous bents.
It should have been enough of a hint when Clinton cleaned house when he came, and left the WH looking like the OUT HOUSE when he LEFT!
The Liberals need to be chased out with the rest of the vermin, the rats and termites.
While there is a house standing.
Steve Centani had a copy on Fox this afternoon.
Tom
Posted by: Marinetbryant
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I haven’t seen anything to speak of from Steve Centani since his release, wonder which way he slants, these days.
Haven’t watched Fox as much as I did in the old day s, too sick to my stomach of their ideas of “Fair and Balanced” meaning you have to sit and listen to the conversation be overwhelmed by idiot Liberals as if they had a brain. While the only smart folks get shouted down, and nobody at Fox thinks THEY are important enough to make sure we have a few minutes of uninterupted delightful conversation in which they can get a complete thought out.
Wonder if Steve and several other Middle Eastern reporters, Jennifer, have found their non-dhimmi tongue for reporting the TRUTH.
You know what’s odd?
Tenet knows CHENEY’s lost influence. And, Condi has gained it.
Been years, now, since “that” happened. Bush and Condi are very close. And, nothing will transpire on the diplomatic stage without her full blessings.
Is it possible that the CIA, up to its old tricks? See’s that Cheney is the WEAK man, now. And, by writing this book what would be one of the things that could happen?
Bush impeachment? Nah. After the business with Clinton, I think Congress critters have shut this “movie” down.
But that leaves the VEEP wide open.
You think, if push came to shove, Bush would be “loyal” to Dick? Or Dick would need some medical help, to get him out of the office? He once said he’d take the job, signalling he wasn’t gonna run for prez.
Which makes the place, off stage, new actors “could appear” as they head in for a role? Could it be? Tenet is trying to force the congress to “question” Cheney?
Well. Why? And, why not?
IF Tenet’s book makes a stab at Cheney; is he trying to loosen the bolts on one of the wheels on the bus?
You think I’m kidding?
Drudge is also running the RETRACTION from Germany. About the Olmert interview. Because it NEVER TOOK PLACE.
And? If the media, press, and donks, keep the “focus” on Iraq, how could Bush order about ten-days-worth of over-flights; above the Iranian reactors? Or are they just “centrifuges?”
Will people be talking about Tenet’s book this coming summer? Why do I think that’s a tough sell?
As to “house cleaning” … first ya need the personnel. With the president’s popularity down in the toilet. And, the donks having a LOCK on the MIDDLE, with ONE PERCENT ABOVE 50% guaranteed. It’s harder and harder to envision that Ma and Pa Kettle go back to the Ozarks.
Oh, and the name calling schtick. That sure doesn’t influence others with your argument, ya know? Varmin. Rats. And, termites.
Reminds me. I thought Tom DeLay was a BUG exterminator. Then, I listened to him. He carries a biology degree. Had a wife and kid by the time he graduates college. And, fell into the bug business; where an owner got quite ill. And, he landed “lucky.” They made him start at the bottom. So he talks about the chemicals. And, then he discusses one of his motivations; when the EPA came along to cancel out the one bug killer that worked on fire ants. (Which we got, just like our aliens cross the border. On the traffic coming in on the fruits and vegetables, from South America.
So, calling Tom DeLay a bug exterminator was one of the things in terms of name-calling, his oponents did very well.
I think the name calling business is a waste of time.
And, I think, in America, the reality is that politics goes to the team that can get ONE PERCENT over 50%. Something that GOP should notice is eroding away on their side. Like pretty beaches erode away because of the tides.
Funniest thing: Ledeen reports on a recent conflict between Cheney and Rice, where Rice was trying to maneuver the release of the Irani Irbil-5 in order to entice Iran into some “negotiations” re the “future of Iraq” at an upcoming conference in Egypt. Cheney prevailed.
Excerpts:
“Within hours, Iraqi officials were publicly hinting that the incarceration of the “Irbil 5” — more top IRGC intel officers captured by American forces, along with extensive documentation of their murderous activities in Iraq — would likely end quite soon. Why were they saying that?
“The answer may be found between the lines of a story written shortly afterwards by one of Secretary Rice’s favorite journalists, Robin Wright of the Washington Post. It didn’t attract nearly the attention it deserved, perhaps because it was printed on Saturday, April 14 (full marks to Allahpundit over at Hot Air for spotting it). Here is what Robin Wright said:
“After intense internal debate, the Bush administration has decided to hold on to five Iranian Revolutionary Guard intelligence agents (sic) captured in Iraq, overruling a State Department recommendation to release them, according to U.S. officials.
I’ve been told that “intense internal debate” is exactly right — it was one of the most contentious debates in quite a while. Wright reports that Vice President Cheney led the charge against Rice’s position, and I am told that Secretary of Defense Gates was equally adamant. This is reinforced by a statement by General Petraeus, to the effect that we intended to keep them and keep interrogating them as long as we had food and they had things to say. Moreover, I am told that the intensity of the debate was due to the fact that Rice was not merely recommending the release of the Iranians, but had informed the mullahs that we would release them.”
http://author.nationalreview.com/latest/?q=MjE2Nw
What does this supposed attempted negotiation with the Mullahs by Rice mean? Why/how did Cheney’s influence determine the outcome?
Cheney serves his purpose as an “attack dog” as Reid (who doesn’t want to be “namecalling”) claims. Too bad that the media cherry picks Cheney’s sound (and accurate) dressing down of Reid for the senator’s myriad positions about Iraq these last several months. Instead, Reid gets the microphone and the column-inches, even though he contradicts himself.
As far as Tenet is concerned, V D Hanson points our a peculiarity in Tenet’s statements (under oath) with his present behavior (as witnessed by Tenet’s claims in his newest tome):
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWQ2MDIwZmQzM2JjZjI2YzcwOWQ4NjYyNWIwNjI1NzY=
NahnCee said:
“PoorJeffrey is a nitpicker, the type of person who defines what the definition of “is” is, and who, when he was younger, would have long involved discussions on how the sliding doors on the Star Ship Enterprise worked.
They’re sort of fun to tease when you trip across one, and to giggle at their air of superiority when they think they’ve posted an “Aha! Gotcha!”
Notice PoorJeffrey has absolutely no interest whatsoever in whether or not what Tenet actually *says* is true or lies.”
You’re right! That’s what is known as intellectual dishonesty, in my opinion.
The problem Jeffrey and his fellow southpaws have are many-not only was Tenet originally a Clinton appointee, but Clinton himself (backed up by Gore, Jean-Claude Kerry, and many other Democrats) all said that Saddam was bad and had nasty stuff in 1998. And Clinton’s own Justice Department, when they indicted Osama bin Laden in 1998, said that he and Iraq did have a working relationship.
Of course, Carr will claim that the indictment by Clinton’s Justice Department refers to “Usama bin Laden”, so it must be two different people.
I visited Jeffrey’s blog, but all it seemed to have was his whining about Rush Limbaugh’s playing some satirical song about Barack Obama. Most of his blog entries have exactly no comments. Wonder why that is?
Just to recap:
Jeffrey Carr sez:
‘anyone who’s writing about it prior to release hasn’t read it. Period.”
Yet I found this admission from a reporter at the NY Times:
“A copy of the book was purchased at retail price in advance of publication by a reporter for The New York Times.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/washington/27intel.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Best to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool, rather than open one’s mouth and erase all doubt
…anonymous
BTW, I think those doors on the Starship Enterprise were designed on the principle of the clam shell, weren’t they?
Isn’t it fact that 99% of the intel faiures were duing Tenet’s watch, that is if they were really intel failures. I’m still not convinved that the intel was that wrong. Saddam had a lot of involvment with Russia and a lot of help from them.
The only reason the U.S. doesn’t identify the WMD found is that it reveals the source which everyone knows is Germany, France, Russia and China.
I suspect that several hundred thousand Americans will die from the non-existant WMD before this is over.
Right now AQ is busy doing the bidding of the democrat party in Iraq who have made a promise that if AQ keeps killing people America will surrender. That will give AQ/Iran all of the middle east. No one in the middle east has the power or will power to stop them. Next stop will be Europe and the U.S.
I look forward to the day when the democrats offspring hate their parents/grandparents guts for selling them ot to the Islamic terrorists. It will happen after millions of them die in terrorists attacks.
Even the lying Tenet says they are here and waiting for, he can’t figure out what. It’s simple, they don’t want to upset the surrender monkeys apple cart. Let a Democrat in the White House and we’ll all suffer from massive attacks right here in the U.S. You know it and I know it. The problem is that most of you are suffering a bad case of BDS and can’t admit you are wrong.
Tom DeLay, in his own book, just released; makes very interesting points about what goes on inside the GOP!
Yeah. The opposition, you can take for granted. It’s their jobs, just like in boxing matches, to pound the crap out of ya. You wouldn’t even go to see matches, if you didn’t expect vigorous fighting.
So, what Tom DeLay shows ya. Spells it out clearly, now. Is that ambitious men think only of themselves. Particularly, Newt Gingrich, who couldn’t lead a war. Becuause the ideas in his head kept changing every day. (Sure. Good ideas. But no plans to stick to anything.)
And, DIck Armey? Purely ambitious for himself. And, one of the guys who carried the knife into DeLay’s back.
Hastert? Well, it took him hours of prayer on his knees; to come to terms with the offer of his lifetime. To sit in the majority chair. And, hand out pork. (Of course,, God spends no time with Hastert about the “pork” part.)
And, Hastert was a real friend to DeLay. So, imagine DeLay’s suprise to find out Hastert’s “support” was rather spongy. About a rule Newt Gingrich put in. And, it only affects the GOP. The donks didn’t vote on it at all. It doesn’t apply to the other side. Each team writes its own rules. Hastert made sure to “stick it to DeLay” on the issue of having to “step down” because he was indicted. (By Ronnie Earle.)
So, when you laugh at Thomas Jefferson, and his freezer full of cash; you do see ONE DIFFERENCE among the players. One that shows ya why the GOP is forever at a loss. And, the donks just breeze on by.
Why discuss DeLay? His book is REAL. Tenet’s. Nah.
It’s just a hit piece. You could claim Tenet was “from the opposition.” But really. Tenet was a “boy” when George Herbert Walker Bush was head of the CIA. (What did he do there? Why was Tenet even given a pass to Dubya’s administration?) You think the dad would have known what his son needed? More than loyalty where you just went along; Dubya needed advice across a broad spectrum of diplomacy. I mean, how much foreign knowledge do you think Dubya picked up through the years before he was elected? It wasn’t his job!
Dubya’s strengths was as a “greeter.”
He’s tireless in a room. And, he seems to know how to do “person-to-person” schtick, where he’s a posable doll for the cameras. All day. Every day. Shaking the hands of donors to the GOP war chest.
2000 was less than pleasant. For the whole country. But Bush gets into office. And, Algore goes home to eat. (And, it turns out. To make millions. Doing what? “Concensus science.”)
Well, Gore’s grades at school were worse than Dubya’s. And, science courses were not his forte.
Still, that’s where the congress was spending bucks. And, Algore found the spout. Under which he threw his bucket.
All the while the GOP was in the majority.
And, all the while Dubya was pushing a rather unpopular agenda. Do you wonder why? I told you. He’s the Realtor for the House of Saud.
Tenet had a role. It wasn’t to help us uncover much before 9/11, THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED.
It’s just with hindsight. Where you stick your rear end on an old calendar; as if you get to do the days, all over, again.
Do you think IF Bush were popular, you’d be hearing from Tenet?
Oh, and he won’t mention Plame. Not on any page of his book. That goes to great lengths saying Cheney started the Iraq war, “before there was enough information,” in.
What do you need to know about arabs?
While, we’re obviously slouching towards November 2008, for a reason. Bush isn’t all that popular.
Can he regain what he’s lost?
Well, Nixon never did. Nor did LBJ get his groove back. And, both those men were strong. And, opinionated. And, one (the democrap) opted for an unpopular war. While Nixon, ever cagey; opted to stop the draft (which keeps our boys, immature). While he hosted both James Baker. And, Henry Kissinger. Squeezing and working the “diplomacy” as if you could ring something decent out of it. Over there.
Since we only did about 3-weeks in Iraq; it seems the “instructional video” on what would have worked best in Bagdadh has been lost.
On the other hand? We never had the courage to flatten Anbar. And, Sadr. And, his minions.
Plans I am sure that were offered. Then stymied.
Since Tenet hasn’t been close to the White House in years; I don’t expect him to shed that much light.
But where ya gotta look is at Dubya, himself. His inability to connect with enough of the people, that he’d have convinced them he was on the right road.
Nope.
Nor was his dad.
Maybe, someday, someone will put out the money trail. When you think of the billions that have gone into buying enough exploding devices; which don’t come cheap. You’ll be able to figure it out. (And, it’s not coming from the cave man.) He can’t fund the aparatus. I mean, what kinds of money does he have in his cave? Plus, he ain’t alive, anymore.
Would the Saud’s do another 9/11?
You’re kidding me, RIIGHT? Because the one they’ve already done hasn’t brought them to the bigger map edition they had dreamt of getting.
You’d think, if Tenet really knew his stuff, he’d be writing a book with a forward. One that discussed the future. And, weighs options. Not just ours, either.
Presidents come and go.
It turns out you can have a “holding pattern.”
One where things don’t get worse. But they don’t get any better.
I guess the other thing you’d have thought Tenet would be good at; would be describing ways Abner Dinnerjacket’s position at home could be eroded?
Why think the iranians are thrilled with the heavy handed-ness of their religious grip the nation is under? Most of the time, now, in democracies, when religion tries to sell its “good,” people run away? If this weren’t true, Dubya’s stock would be higher. And, ditto for Jimmy Carter, who also prayed a lot.
I guess its worth noting that the Iraqis are getting nervous, now. (While their ministers take two months this summer OFF.)
As to Iraq? When the next set of elections come around, do you think the Saud’s are gonna hit them with everything they’ve got? Part of Iraq’s problems, has been the ease with which the terrorists get out of jail. The system is corrupt. You BUY your way out. You can even probably barter your way out with a good rug.
tenet isn’t gonna be touching the things we’re gonna learn about, anyway. As they come to pass.
I almost wonder how he “says nice things about Bush,” without just limiting Bush’s “involvement.”
A tell-all book that will state Cheney is president? Nah. That’s a hard sell.
And, Condi’s already swinging back.
Victor Davis Hanson checks in:
By Victor Davis Hanson
Like most Americans, I am confused about the recent public announcements of George Tenet — not the usual Beltway “he said/she said” sort of accusations and meae culpae that we are accustomed from former officials plugging “inside story” memoirs, but how exactly we are now to digest past statements in light of present behavior.
Surely Tenet had some free will, and when he testified under oath to congressional committees in February 2003 are we now to think such statements were misleading, untrue, or coerced by Dick Cheney — or do some remain absolutely accurate to this day?
Among the many accounts of his critical prewar testimony is the Dana Priest’s February 12, 2003, story in the Washington Post. My point in quoting it is not to show the obvious “that was then, this is now” attitude of Tenet, but to focus on his seemingly prescient warning about Zarqawi. His was a sober assessment, that however orphaned it may be now, seems in the light of history to have stood up pretty well. I highlight the relevant pieces of the February 2003 prewar article by Priest.
“CIA Director George J. Tenet, questioned about the value of ongoing inspections by the United Nations, said there is “little chance you’ll find weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq unless Hussein cooperates with inspectors. On the other hand, Tenet said he would expect U.S. troops “will find caches of weapons of mass destruction, absolutely,” were they to invade the country.
If the United States decides not to go to war with Iraq and instead waits on inspectors, Hussein will continue developing weapons of mass destruction, Tenet said. “He will continue to strengthen himself over time,” he said. “It never gets any better with this fellow, and he’s never been a status quo guy.”
Tenet also elaborated on the CIA’s understanding of Iraq’s link to al Qaeda, a central issue in the administration’s case for going to war against Iraq in the near future, as opposed to waiting months longer for the U.N. inspectors to do more work. Tenet described Abu Musab Zarqawi, the main character in the administration’s case that Iraq is working with al Qaeda now, as it had not done in the past, as a “senior al Qaeda associate.” Zarqawi sought medical care in Baghdad, has met with Osama bin Laden, has been financially supported by al Qaeda and has taken “sustenance” from Iraq. But Zarqawi, he pointed out, is not under the control of Hussein.”
Both the description of Zarqawi as a threat with al Qaeda links and enjoying sanctuary in Iraq without being under the control of Saddam Hussein seems born out by his later deadly career and blustering letters to al Qaeda heads. So why the contrition now on that casus belli? Al Qaeda was responsible for killing 3,000 Americans; one of its worst terrorists was freely enjoying sanctuary in Iraq; what has changed about that fact?
“Tenet does the same with his recollection of the intel showing strong connections between Iraq and al-Qaeda, a connection that seems even stronger with the capture of Abd al-Hadi al-Iraq, a former Saddam Hussein-era officer in the Iraqi Army (rank: major) who became one of al-Qaeda’s top field commanders.”
Cap’n, care to elaborate on why this makes a connection between al-Qaeda and the Iraqi government even stronger?
From what I read, the guy left Iraq in the 80s to fight the Russians in Afghanastan, and from there rose in the ranks of AQ. Is there evidence to show that he kept contacts with Iraqi military or government to facilitate a relationship between the two entities? Or this another Zarqawi was in Iraq prior to the invasion case, where there’s an Iraq connection (he was in the Kurdish north which was not under the control of Hussein and the CIAs official stance is that there was no relationship between Zarqawi and Hussein.
Bush actually had a chance to take out Zarqawi prior to the invasion. The pentagon even drew up plans for action against his camp in the north which Bush decided not to act on? Not sure why he didn’t. I imagine it was because he wanted to use the camp as a reason to take out Saddam. But who knows.
And Del,
I believe that the reporter bought a copy of the book at a store that was selling it imporperly (either on purpose or by mistake) prior to release.
Tom Shipley said:
“And Del,
I believe that the reporter bought a copy of the book at a store that was selling it imporperly (either on purpose or by mistake) prior to release. ”
LOL! So what? Let me guess, you’re Jeffrey Carr’s brother in law?
As for Iraq’s ties to al Qaeda, ABC News and the BBC were both reporting such ties in the late 1990s. And Clinton’s Justice Department, in their 1998 indictment of bin Laden, confirmed that Iraq and al Qaeda DID have a working relationship. Read the indictment yourself.
That’s good enough for me. Why isn’t it good enough for you? Because it means your boogie-man Bush wasn’t lying.
Just read Tenet’s book. His account of why the CIA hid information from the FBI on Hazmi and Mihdhar is a superficial account of this event leaving out all of the important details to justify why the CIA had the names Khalid al-Mihdhar, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Selem al-Hazmi, who were on AA 77, and even had the name Khallad bin Attash, mastermind of the Cole bombing, all long time al Qaeda terrorists from January 5, 2000, and just somehow did not give this information to the FBI until August 23, 2001, over 21 months after they first had this information.
He says when the CIR on Mihdhar was written by an FBI agent at the CIA on January 5, 2000, it was not sent to the FBI due to a simple mistake. But the FBI IG report says something different, it says that clearly written on the bottom of this CIR was the words; “Blocked by order of the Deputy Chief”, (the CIA bin Laden unit), Tom Wilshire. There it is, any body can see this was just a simple mistake. The CIA desk officer who wrote this note then sent out another cable that said the information on Mihdhar had been sent to the FBI when it fact it had not been sent.
Yes, there you have it, yet another simple mistake. When the FBI IG investigators talked to Wilshire, he says he can not remember this CIR, the desk officer says she can not remember this CIR, who told her to block it or even why she sent out another cable saying this information had been sent to the FBI or even who told her to send out this cable.
Easy to see, just simple mistakes combined with collective mass amnesia. But the CIA hid this information from the FBI as reported in the 9/11 Commission report and the FBI IG report, on al least 9 more occasions. Yes, yes that’s it, just 9 more simple mistakes, making at least 10 all together, when the CIA deliberately hid information from the FBI.
They even hid the fact that Mihdhar and Hazmi were seen together with Khallad at the Kuala Lumpur meeting where the Cole bombing had been planned, clearly implicating them in the planning of the Cole bombing, but this information was withheld from the FBI Cole investigators at least 5 occasions, clearly just more simple mistakes.
Except isn’t obstructing an FBI criminal investigation into the murder of 17 US sailors an extremely serious criminal offense, in fact a major felony. But when they deliberately withheld this information from the FBI investigators looking into the murder of 17 sailors, they also withheld the very information that could have prevented the attacks on 9/11 and could have prevented the horrific deaths of 3000 innocent Americans on 9/11.
According to George, so many simple mistakes, and according to the FBI IG investigators, so much collective amnesia.
See http://www.eventson911.com for more details