George Tenet --- don't let the door hit ya' where the good Lord split ya'

[Jeremy]

George Tenet is finally "resigning".  I put that in quotes because we all know that it was either resign or be fired and look like a fool.  This guy has done more to screw things up and to make America look like a bunch of bumbling 7/11 clerks than...well....a bunch of 7/11 clerks.

[jgruber]

He should go and should take more than a couple of people with him, including anyone dumb enough to have believed him.

[schoomp]

Any thoughts on why he is just leaving now? 

[rathpa]

I'm willing to be money that if he opens his mouth, he will bash both the Clinton and Bush administrations.  Something tells me he has some huge dirt on both of them and that is the reason why they both kept him in office.

[Sosua]

I bet he bashes neither.  He has dirt on both administrations and both have dirt on him.  That's the way it works in high politics.

[jgruber]

I'd bet that he's leaving now because someone finally offered him the right amount of money.

[buddha]

If I had to make a guess why they he was leaving now, I'd be looking at the Office of the Vice President.  Ever since the Chalabi story broke it's gotten real nasty between the neo-cons at OVP & Defense and the CIA, State.  A lot of Chalabi true-believers blame the CIA & State for trying to smear their man in Baghdad.  Since Colin Powell is untouchable Tenet gets the ax.

[jacy85]

I wouldn't put so much blame on George Tenet until you have more of a concept of how our Intelligence System works, and not just based on the info that's popularly known what with the 9/11 commission and all.

I focused a lot on US intel and National Security while getting my BA in International Relations, and if anything, Tenet's one of the least to blame of anyone.  Bush has done a good job of making him the scapegoat and directing attention everywhere else but home.  It wouldn't have mattered who was in charge of the CIA at the time, they'd be in the same position, because the Bush admin. came in with their own agenda and ignored all other concerns/possibilities that conflicted with that agenda, and when Mr. Tenet failed to give the Bush admin the information they wanted, they simply sought such information elsewhere (Rumsfelt formed his own military "intelligence" agency during the lead up to Iraq because the CIA kept telling them there were no WMDs.  When the cow won't give you milk, you go buy a goat...)

The head of the CIA's a bad job.  No real power to oversee anything, no real influence, since no one will listen if they don't like what you have to say, and all of the blame if something goes wrong.  Clinton couldn't find anyone else to take the job.  Think Bush will do better?

[jgruber]

Good points, but remember a certain CIA head who later became president?

I wouldn't put so much blame on George Tenet until you have more of a concept of how our Intelligence System works, and not just based on the info that's popularly known what with the 9/11 commission and all.

I focused a lot on US intel and National Security while getting my BA in International Relations, and if anything, Tenet's one of the least to blame of anyone.  Bush has done a good job of making him the scapegoat and directing attention everywhere else but home.  It wouldn't have mattered who was in charge of the CIA at the time, they'd be in the same position, because the Bush admin. came in with their own agenda and ignored all other concerns/possibilities that conflicted with that agenda, and when Mr. Tenet failed to give the Bush admin the information they wanted, they simply sought such information elsewhere (Rumsfelt formed his own military "intelligence" agency during the lead up to Iraq because the CIA kept telling them there were no WMDs.  When the cow won't give you milk, you go buy a goat...)

The head of the CIA's a bad job.  No real power to oversee anything, no real influence, since no one will listen if they don't like what you have to say, and all of the blame if something goes wrong.  Clinton couldn't find anyone else to take the job.  Think Bush will do better?

[jgruber]

Chalabi is now denouncing Tenet pubicly.  Hmmmmm.  Chalabi former Pentagon good guy is glad to see the last of the head of the CIA.  Hmmmmm.