scurrilous george

I don’t really get George Tenet. Let’s see what I can make of the bits-and-pieces that have rolled into public view. Bear in mind that I don’t have TV so I haven’t seen any of the 60 Minutes interview he gave last night. The man was Director of the CIA in the build-up to the war, he was a part of the inner circle that’s either trying to convince Bush of the WMD or convince him of their absence, he uses a term like “slam dunk” in some conversation, and he finally walks away and/or resigns and/or is fired in 2004. That same year he’s awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. See George start to write a book. See George not utter a peep about just how bad the planning or intelligence was prior to the war. See George take his medal. See George…blah blah blah. I never had much hope for George; I had hope for Colin Powell. Both of them, particularly George if we are now to believe him, tell us that they stood their ground, that they tried to do good, that their intentions were true. Neither one did anything. Nada. Zero. Suddenly we are supposed to jump on the bandwagon and realize that they were sheep led to slaughter by the wolf? Sorry George, I’m not buying. What makes it worse? It’s been three years, he’s said nothing…still…but now that his book is out he comes knocking on my door. Well done. Here are George’s “Tenet’s Tenets”:

Know who you are.
Good. I’m riding along with this one. Je suis Todd. (is that right?)

Honor the service and the sacrifice of the men and women who protect this country and our values.
Ooops. I think that you’re inability to take a stand way back in 2003, to plan for the meat grinder the troops live in, demolishes this pillar.

Follow your heart and dare to take risks.
Ooops. Missed again. If you wanted to take risks, you could have, you could have done it back then, you could have done it before you had a book to sell.

Fight hatred and prejudice wherever you see it.
The first one that I can’t quibble with…

Laugh as much as you can.
That sound George hears is my laughter.

Take care of the people around you.
Didn’t.

Pray.
If you did, it didn’t help.

Love and serve your country.
I believe he does, without question. He served a long term as DCI but he’ll always be remembered not for the ‘slam dunk’ debacle, but for his inability to stand-up for himself.

I vent. I'm going back to writing about haircuts.

T