Book George J. Tenet

[Fish]

By Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 28, 2007; Page A01
White House and Pentagon officials, and particularly Vice President Cheney, were determined to attack Iraq from the first days of the Bush administration, long before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and repeatedly stretched available intelligence to build support for the war, according to a new book by former CIA director George J. Tenet.
Although Tenet does not question the threat Saddam Hussein posed or the sincerity of administration beliefs, he recounts numerous efforts by aides to Cheney and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to insert "crap" into public justifications for the war. Tenet also describes an ongoing fear within the intelligence community of the administration's willingness to "mischaracterize complex intelligence information."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...referrer=email

[SUBMAN1]

I never doubted that they intended to attack Saddam since the beginning of the Bush Admin. Did you? I mean, they gave him 13 years to comply with the UN resolutions (I bet some people here will say that we should have given him more time to comply! Hahahaha!), and Saddam snubbed his nose at it. Go figure.

-S

[bradclark1]

Thats not the reason they gave though is it. You might think it's okay to be fed lies and suck it up but I don't.
This is also the second book to say these things so it just reaffirms.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by bradclark1

Thats not the reason they gave though is it. You might think it's okay to be fed lies and suck it up but I don't.
This is also the second book to say these things so it just reaffirms.

I don't think they lied. i think they gave what was classified as questionable intelligence - things they could not prove one way or the other. And I think Guebatz is you link to the fact that they weren't lying, just didn't have the full story where everything was. What you are dealing with is a combination of things. The WMD's was simply what was on the intelligence table at the time, so that was given as the reason to go finish the job.

-S

PS. Another thought - probably limiting their reasonings as explained to the public in such a narrow focus is part of the problem. They should have put all their reasoning on the table at the time. Problem was that 9/11 was fresh on everyones minds so they probably figured they need not muddy the waters - this is where you political screw up came from.

[OddjobXL]

When someone suspects something but tells you they know it for a fact, that's a lie. And not "muddying up the waters" means, to me, not telling us the truth because it would get in the way of getting the war they wanted. When they cite evidence that's very much in dispute as gospel, well, they're now reaping what they sowed. I don't think any impartial person can compare what the Bush administration actually knew with what they actually claimed to know and think to themselves "What a bunch of straight-shooters."

We may disagree on what we think they went to war for and we can disagree on whether or not it was a necessary or counter-productive effort. But the litmus test for me on whether someone's paying attention to the world in a responsible way is how skeptical they are about the honesty of the effort that got us into Iraq.

[bradclark1]

My thought on the whole thing is if you are going to take your country to war you had better be 100% right because people are going to die based on your decision. Because Saddam was a ***** does not make him a clear and present danger, it just made him a huge pain in the butt. That isn't reason enough to invade a country and try to do it half assed and on the cheap.

[The Avon Lady]

Will the real George Tenet please stand up: Tenet Takedown.

[Skybird]

Nothing new in this story. We know since years that intel was massively manipulated from politicians in order to fit their agenda, that Bush did not so much took the information the intel gave him, but that he fed the intel what he wanted it to say, and that the war against Iraq was a planned and much wanted issue for the Republicans since the mid 90s and was just kept in a desk drawer during the Clinton years ("Wolfowitz-doctrine"). Yes, it's the same Wolfowitz who promised to fight corruption in the IMF, and now is under siege by almost everybody at the IMF for having acted corrupt himself. What speaks against Tenet is that he accepted to have himself manipulated that way, and that he steps forward so late now.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Skybird

We know since years that intel was massively manipulated from politicians in order to fit their agenda

Where do we know this from?

What was this agenda?

that Bush did not so much took the information the intel gave him

Where do we know this from?

Why was everyone in the Clinton adminstration saying the same things about Saddam being a massive threat?

Ears wide shut.

but that he fed the intel what he wanted it to say, and that the war against Iraq was a planned and much wanted issue for the Republicans since the mid 90s and was just kept in a desk drawer during the Clinton years ("Wolfowitz-doctrine").

Again when the Clintonites were themselves telling the American public that Saddam is a living time bomb.

Yes, it's the same Wolfowitz who promised to fight corruption in the IMF, and now is under siege by almost everybody at the IMF for having acted corrupt himself.

Apples and oranges?

What speaks against Tenet is that he accepted to have himself manipulated that way, and that he steps forward so late now.

Once again we must plunge into the memory hole.

I know! Clinton was a Wolfowitz stooge! That explains everything! Now that's evil!

[Skybird]

AL, give it up. It all was so often on display that I have stopped counting.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Skybird

AL, give it up. It all was so often on display that I have stopped counting.

Au contraire. Your repeated accusations fly in the face of documented fact. Apparently you've stopped reading and listening, too.

[U-533]

Denial is spreading across the world...

I...I couldn't help it I have been waiting all morning to do this....
:rotfl:

[moose1am]

Bush and his HANDLERS knew that the American Public would not support a new war UNLESS they scared the CRAP out of everyone.

That's why you saw Dick Cheney talking about "MUSHROOM CLOUDS".

They are doing the very same thing with IRAN these days.

Why didn't the GOP do this when the Soviet Union first got thier nukes, which they stold from the USA?

Once the cats (nuclear technology) is out of the bag it pretty hard to get it back in.

Many people in the past 5 years have said the same thing that Tenet is saying. Bush and his cronies wanted to take Saddam out before they were appointed to office.

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I don't think they lied. i think they gave what was classified as questionable intelligence - things they could not prove one way or the other. And I think Guebatz is you link to the fact that they weren't lying, just didn't have the full story where everything was. What you are dealing with is a combination of things. The WMD's was simply what was on the intelligence table at the time, so that was given as the reason to go finish the job.

-S

PS. Another thought - probably limiting their reasonings as explained to the public in such a narrow focus is part of the problem. They should have put all their reasoning on the table at the time. Problem was that 9/11 was fresh on everyones minds so they probably figured they need not muddy the waters - this is where you political screw up came from.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by moose1am

That's why you saw Dick Cheney talking about "MUSHROOM CLOUDS".

Cheney? We don't need no stinkin' Cheney!

To, repeat children, in the words of darling Bill Clinton, just from one single transcript:

Transcript: President Clinton explains Iraq strike

CLINTON: Good evening.

Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.

Their purpose is to protect the national interest of the United States, and indeed the interests of people throughout the Middle East and around the world.

Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons.

I want to explain why I have decided, with the unanimous recommendation of my national security team, to use force in Iraq; why we have acted now; and what we aim to accomplish.

Six weeks ago, Saddam Hussein announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors called UNSCOM. They are highly professional experts from dozens of countries. Their job is to oversee the elimination of Iraq's capability to retain, create and use weapons of mass destruction, and to verify that Iraq does not attempt to rebuild that capability.

The inspectors undertook this mission first 7.5 years ago at the end of the Gulf War when Iraq agreed to declare and destroy its arsenal as a condition of the ceasefire.

The international community had good reason to set this requirement. Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: He has used them. Not once, but repeatedly. Unleashing chemical weapons against Iranian troops during a decade-long war. Not only against soldiers, but against civilians, firing Scud missiles at the citizens of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran. And not only against a foreign enemy, but even against his own people, gassing Kurdish civilians in Northern Iraq.

The international community had little doubt then, and I have no doubt today, that left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again.

The United States has patiently worked to preserve UNSCOM as Iraq has sought to avoid its obligation to cooperate with the inspectors. On occasion, we've had to threaten military force, and Saddam has backed down.

Faced with Saddam's latest act of defiance in late October, we built intensive diplomatic pressure on Iraq backed by overwhelming military force in the region. The UN Security Council voted 15 to zero to condemn Saddam's actions and to demand that he immediately come into compliance.

Eight Arab nations -- Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman -- warned that Iraq alone would bear responsibility for the consequences of defying the UN.

When Saddam still failed to comply, we prepared to act militarily. It was only then at the last possible moment that Iraq backed down. It pledged to the UN that it had made, and I quote, a clear and unconditional decision to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors.

I decided then to call off the attack with our airplanes already in the air because Saddam had given in to our demands. I concluded then that the right thing to do was to use restraint and give Saddam one last chance to prove his willingness to cooperate.

I made it very clear at that time what unconditional cooperation meant, based on existing UN resolutions and Iraq's own commitments. And along with Prime Minister Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully, we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning.

Now over the past three weeks, the UN weapons inspectors have carried out their plan for testing Iraq's cooperation. The testing period ended this weekend, and last night, UNSCOM's chairman, Richard Butler, reported the results to UN Secretary-General Annan.

The conclusions are stark, sobering and profoundly disturbing.

In four out of the five categories set forth, Iraq has failed to cooperate. Indeed, it actually has placed new restrictions on the inspectors. Here are some of the particulars.

Iraq repeatedly blocked UNSCOM from inspecting suspect sites. For example, it shut off access to the headquarters of its ruling party and said it will deny access to the party's other offices, even though UN resolutions make no exception for them and UNSCOM has inspected them in the past.

Iraq repeatedly restricted UNSCOM's ability to obtain necessary evidence. For example, Iraq obstructed UNSCOM's effort to photograph bombs related to its chemical weapons program.

It tried to stop an UNSCOM biological weapons team from videotaping a site and photocopying documents and prevented Iraqi personnel from answering UNSCOM's questions.

Prior to the inspection of another site, Iraq actually emptied out the building, removing not just documents but even the furniture and the equipment.

Iraq has failed to turn over virtually all the documents requested by the inspectors. Indeed, we know that Iraq ordered the destruction of weapons-related documents in anticipation of an UNSCOM inspection.

So Iraq has abused its final chance.

As the UNSCOM reports concludes, and again I quote, "Iraq's conduct ensured that no progress was able to be made in the fields of disarmament.

"In light of this experience, and in the absence of full cooperation by Iraq, it must regrettably be recorded again that the commission is not able to conduct the work mandated to it by the Security Council with respect to Iraq's prohibited weapons program."

In short, the inspectors are saying that even if they could stay in Iraq, their work would be a sham.

Saddam's deception has defeated their effectiveness. Instead of the inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors.

This situation presents a clear and present danger to the stability of the Persian Gulf and the safety of people everywhere. The international community gave Saddam one last chance to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors. Saddam has failed to seize the chance.

And so we had to act and act now.

Let me explain why.

First, without a strong inspection system, Iraq would be free to retain and begin to rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs in months, not years.

Second, if Saddam can crippled the weapons inspection system and get away with it, he would conclude that the international community -- led by the United States -- has simply lost its will. He will surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction, and someday -- make no mistake -- he will use it again as he has in the past.

Third, in halting our air strikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance, not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed. We will not only have allowed Saddam to shatter the inspection system that controls his weapons of mass destruction program; we also will have fatally undercut the fear of force that stops Saddam from acting to gain domination in the region.

That is why, on the unanimous recommendation of my national security team -- including the vice president, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the secretary of state and the national security adviser -- I have ordered a strong, sustained series of air strikes against Iraq.

They are designed to degrade Saddam's capacity to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction, and to degrade his ability to threaten his neighbors.

At the same time, we are delivering a powerful message to Saddam. If you act recklessly, you will pay a heavy price. We acted today because, in the judgment of my military advisers, a swift response would provide the most surprise and the least opportunity for Saddam to prepare.

If we had delayed for even a matter of days from Chairman Butler's report, we would have given Saddam more time to disperse his forces and protect his weapons.

Also, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins this weekend. For us to initiate military action during Ramadan would be profoundly offensive to the Muslim world and, therefore, would damage our relations with Arab countries and the progress we have made in the Middle East.

That is something we wanted very much to avoid without giving Iraq's a month's head start to prepare for potential action against it.

Finally, our allies, including Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain, concurred that now is the time to strike. I hope Saddam will come into cooperation with the inspection system now and comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. But we have to be prepared that he will not, and we must deal with the very real danger he poses.

So we will pursue a long-term strategy to contain Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction and work toward the day when Iraq has a government worthy of its people.

First, we must be prepared to use force again if Saddam takes threatening actions, such as trying to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction or their delivery systems, threatening his neighbors, challenging allied aircraft over Iraq or moving against his own Kurdish citizens.

The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War.

Second, so long as Iraq remains out of compliance, we will work with the international community to maintain and enforce economic sanctions. Sanctions have cost Saddam more than $120 billion -- resources that would have been used to rebuild his military. The sanctions system allows Iraq to sell oil for food, for medicine, for other humanitarian supplies for the Iraqi people.

We have no quarrel with them. But without the sanctions, we would see the oil-for-food program become oil-for-tanks, resulting in a greater threat to Iraq's neighbors and less food for its people.

The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world.

The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people. Bringing change in Baghdad will take time and effort. We will strengthen our engagement with the full range of Iraqi opposition forces and work with them effectively and prudently.

The decision to use force is never cost-free. Whenever American forces are placed in harm's way, we risk the loss of life. And while our strikes are focused on Iraq's military capabilities, there will be unintended Iraqi casualties.

Indeed, in the past, Saddam has intentionally placed Iraqi civilians in harm's way in a cynical bid to sway international opinion.

We must be prepared for these realities. At the same time, Saddam should have absolutely no doubt if he lashes out at his neighbors, we will respond forcefully.

Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors. He will make war on his own people.

And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them.

Because we're acting today, it is less likely that we will face these dangers in the future.

Let me close by addressing one other issue. Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down.

But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so.

In the century we're leaving, America has often made the difference between chaos and community, fear and hope. Now, in the new century, we'll have a remarkable opportunity to shape a future more peaceful than the past, but only if we stand strong against the enemies of peace.

Tonight, the United States is doing just that. May God bless and protect the brave men and women who are carrying out this vital mission and their families. And may God bless America.

Spoken like a true neocon leader.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by U-533

Denial is spreading across the world...

Which will eventually lead to the agony of de feet.