George Tenet:

What a joke this man has become.

He worked for years building a career that seemed to deserve respect. He worked for multiple Presidents, which should say something about his talent. Instead, it now raises the possibility that he was merely an opportunist who behaved in a way that would promote job security. Did he ever really care about right and wrong? Did he promote policy that he believed in or that he thought would be popular?

It seems that this man was in fact a coward. He may or may not have agreed with all of the decisions made when he was Director of the CIA but he doesn’t seem to have spoken up and challenged people. He didn’t resign, which is what a person of conviction would have done if what he now says is true were in fact true.

This book is not about anything other than Tenet trying to protect George Tenet. As criticism for the war began to grow, Tenet decided to write a book absolving himself of responsibility for the decisions that were made. The book publishers wouldn’t have been nearly as interested in a pro-Bush administration book, so not only would an anti-Bush administration book clear him, it would garner him a lot of money.

In the end, he showed his true character: He sold out history and the truth for some money. He had had a book deal to write about his experiences working for two administrations. He backed out of the first deal because he needed to regroup his plan for the book. Maybe what happened is he realized he would be more successful personally and financially, if he focused on blasting Bush, Cheney and Rice.

Only time will tell if his book withstands the scrutiny of others who were also in “the eye of the storm” and decide to write about it. Then we will all have to decide which of the players have the most credibility.