George Not Curious Enough

George Tenet, the former head of the CIA seems to be wanting to write history books himself before less biased eyes pass judgment on his conduct. Tenet's claim that the administration cherry picked information and manipulated Americans understanding of the situation in Iraq is by now well established. For Tenet to come out and declare that his “slam dunk” statement was misrepresented by Dick Cheney and the Administration is of very little consequence or consolation.
Colin Powell's reputation is ruined in the eyes of the world and much of the nation thanks in large part to Tenet's timidness and incompetence. Tenet sat behind Powell as he addressed the UN knowing that the information he was presenting was anything but “facts and not assertions.” These facts and conclusions that Tenet allowed to be stretched to the breaking point of credibility has taken away a powerful tool from our countries diplomatic arsenal. Colin Powell was once as highly respected as the United States itself and his word and integrity was seen as unquestionable. Years of building such a reputation has been destroyed thanks to Tenet's inability to make clear the uncertainty of information coming from his own department. We are now embroiled in an impossible situation in the heart of the Middle East and no amount of apologies and statements of personal responsibility will change that now. Tenet thinks he can escape the judgment of history now in the same way that Richard Clark did by excusing himself from the insanity of the administration policy. Clark however came out early and strong against the administrations madness. Tenet's book and publicity tour is nothing more than Monday morning quarterbacking. Ironically it was Tenet that held the ball through most of the game.
The one point that Tenet's book makes that is worth mentioning is that the work done by the CIA and the people doing the work of gathering information was honorable and as accurate as it could be. Anyone that would have been interested in critically examining the data coming from the men and women doing this work could have seen that the case was not what Cheney claimed it to be. The Iraq war is not a product of bad information gathered by the CIA. The data and analysis was there to make an informed assumption that Iraq was not the threat the President wanted it to be. The failure was in the interpretation of that information. The President and his close colleagues saw what they wanted to see, but it was Tenet that, in his weakness, allow them to believe it. In doing so he failed the American people and the world.
Tenet is going to keep his Medal of Freedom despite the fact that his own book implies that he doesn't deserve it. It was his leadership and judgment that failed the very men and women of the CIA that he claims for whom he accepted the award. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and the President all wanted their war in Iraq. It was Tenet's mishandling of his responsibilities as Director of Intelligence that facilitated their desires. Tenet has published 550 pages of apologizes and explanations. None of which are enough to right what he has done wrong. As a consolation to himself, he will aways have his Medal of Freedom and the sales of his book about the tragedy of his tenure, will make him far richer than he deserves to be.