George Tenet: Sandy Berger Stole My Notes!

George Tenet was DCI for over three full years prior to 9/11.

Tenet held that position from July 1997 to July 2004, making him the second-longest serving director in the agency's history

More than any other individual, it was Tenet's job to know what threats there were to this country prior to 9/11.

The DCI was coordinating intelligence activities among and between the various United States intelligence agencies, also called the American Intelligence Community.

Under Tenet, foreign nationals entered this country, trained as pilots and carried off one of the most devastating attacks of terrorism in the history of the world.

It's little wonder he is resorting to attempting to rehabilitate his reputation now by jumping on the political currents ... even if he has to make things up to do so. But then, what should one expect from a Clinton appointee and Democrat? Maybe Sandy Burglar stole his contemporaneous notes and hid them in his socks.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD has now learned of a second, more stunning error in Tenet's book (which is due to appear in bookstores tomorrow). According to Michiko Kakutani's review in Saturday's Times,

On the day after 9/11, he [Tenet] adds, he ran into Richard Perle, a leading neoconservative and the head of the Defense Policy Board, coming out of the White House. He says Mr. Perle turned to him and said: "Iraq has to pay a price for what happened yesterday. They bear responsibility."
Here's the problem: Richard Perle was in France on that day, unable to fly back after September 11. In fact Perle did not return to the United State until September 15.

Comments

[Buzzy]

The Perle error may be something, sure looks like it but to be fair the CIA had less than nothing to do with who was let into this country or who trained to be pilots here. You have to remember the rigid division between domestic and foreign interests in our security services pre 9/11. It's also good to note that even now, with the lessons of 9/11, we still utilize the pre 9/11 system of allowing foreigners into the US based on nationality and even though most of the 9/11 attackers were from Saudi Arabia a lot of Saudis are still allowed in.

Tenet was and is a political hack and a poor intelligence chief. He was wrong about many things and for his lack of competence he has a $4 million book deal.

[nova]

I agree with Buzzy. Prior to 9-11 I was under the impression that the FBI had responsibility for onshore intelligence and the CIA was supposed to handle only offshore intelligence. In this Alice In Wonderland world who knows what goes on? Tenet was a terrible CIA director and now proves himself to be a bad liar as well.
What a bum. Here is how you can tell the real losers and fakes. They always give them medals like Bush gave Tenet. Medal of Freedom. Hah!

[Phoenix]

Some director of intelligence. You'd think he'd write so that his plans would not be countered with truth.

[Chris]

You neocons are missing the story here. Perle was out of the country on 9/11? What furter proof does one need to see that it was an inside job? /Sarc

Seriously, if he can't get this detail right?

[Zifnab]

"Under Tenet, foreign nationals entered this country, trained as pilots and carried off one of the most devastating attacks of terrorism in the history of the world."

Whoa, whoa, there Dan. He got a Presidential Medal of Freedom because of his amazing job performance and the "heckava" job he did. Why are you suddenly so hostile? Don't you think Bush picked the best man for the job back in 2000? Certainly, if the Bush Administration was displeased with Tenet's service when Al-Qaida struck on 9/11, he would have been sacked years before he eventually resigned. I can only imagine that the Bushies had no problem with Tenet on September 12th. Or for that matter in March 2003 when we rolled tanks into Iraq, when he was still head of the CIA.

Let's not forget who was really responsible for 9/11 at the end of the day, Dan. We wouldn't want Clinton to get away unblamed in all of this.

[Kelvin]

Didn't that stammering fool you cons call your leader give Tenet a medal??

[nova]

Who got a massage? The list is going to be released. Will they all be Republicans? Are they the only ones who can afford $300.00 for a "massage"?
And by the way what did Clinton get? For free!

[micah]

"Massage" is a matter of semantics...

[spanky@aol.com]

If you read the Yahoo AP news story about the Madam you will find that massage as she defines it is supposed to be legal as long and you lay on your stomach and just get a massage. I find this laugh out loud funny. DC phone book like every major city and many small towns is full of ads for "massage" and "escort" services. The Wash. Post used to run ads for them in the sports section. I dont know if they still do. It is all hilarious. Loopholes for the rich.

[Fred Beloit]

I always stand on my head when I get a massage and on my feet when I get a message. The reverse isn't nearly so pleasant.

[Zifnab]

"To put this in a simple army metaphor, the Commander-in-Chief seems to have gone AWOL, that is ‘absent without leave.' He neither acts nor talks as though he is in charge. Rather, he engages in tit-for-tat games…I hope the President seizes this moment for a basic change in course and signs the bill the Congress has sent him. I will respect him greatly for such a rare act of courage, and so too, I suspect, will most Americans."
- Lieutenant General William E. Odom

General Odom has served as Director of the National Security Agency under Ronald Reagan and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, the Army's senior intelligence officer. In his address, General Odom discusses why he believes President Bush should sign the conference report on the Iraq Accountability Act.

[Fred Beloit]

Lt. Gen. Odom was against the war strategy from the beginning like Murtha. So what's new? my lovely Ziffy?

[seekeronos]

If Tenet was made DCI in 1997, wouldn't that make him a Clinton appointee?

If that is the case, then both the Lying Liar who Lies like a Cheap Toupee (Clinton) is as much as at fault as Bush would be for keeping him on after Sept. 12th.

[nova]

Are sleazeballs like Tenet and Clinton the best this country has to offer? I dont know which is worse the fat cat republicans or the dumb democrats. You can look at Tenet and see he is noting more than an ass kisser.

[Kelvin]

No, Rummy and Bush are America's best. True heroes.

[Raging_Dave]

So Ziffy, I take it you wish for people to listen to a retired general, rather than the general who has boots on the ground in Iraq right now?

Thank god you're not in charge.

[Zifnab]

"So Ziffy, I take it you wish for people to listen to a retired general, rather than the general who has boots on the ground in Iraq right now?"

Which one were we supposed to listen to? Shinseki? Pace? Hayden? Patereus? Were we supposed to ask fmr Sec of State Powell? None of them have been giving Iraq glowing reviews lately. You need to turn to Republican Presidential Nominees for that.

[Hard Right]

Funny, what the media claimed Patereus said and what he actually said are two different things. No surprise there. If they don't say what the media wants, they "edit" until they do. BTW, notice how some of the past generals speaking out on Iraq were dropped by the Dems? That's because they were either for the surge, or against pulling out like the Dems wanted. In other words, the Dems use them until they are not useful. Yeah, they care about our troops. (roll eyes).