When Tenet talks
Liberals rightfully knock him for his belated effort to clear his name long after the time when his words could have had an impact on actual and deadly events that followed. Hawk squawkers like Micheal Scheuer denigrate him, as well, making sure to add partisanship to their critique.
I’ll agree that Clinton’s appointment of Tenet was itself a mistake. He proved to be a chameleon glomming on to any boss he had with his sycophantic feelers. But I’ve yet to see any evidence that - as Scheuer alleges - Clinton refused to take down Bin Laden when he thought a clean shot was available.
At Balkinization, both David Luban and commenter, Ben, bring much needed perspective to Scheuer’s determinations of ethical and Constitutional behavior.
Far better is the critique that Larry Johnson and other CIA and intel officials are delivering directly to Tenet in letter form.
April 30th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
It was a beautiful thing.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I agree with you completely. Also, I was struck by Tenet’s constant attempts to bully his interviewer on 60 minutes. Had he showed such aggressiveness while he was on the job, perhaps the U.S. would never had attacked Iraq.
April 30th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
For all the guys like Tenet, Fukuyama, et al, who wish to be absolved of past errors and history’s harsh judgment (and yes, Francis, there IS a history, unending), I propose a simple process. This applies to bloggers, pundits and Congressional disreputables who erred, as well:
1) admit you fucked it up. Without adding your rationale to justify your errors.
2) Apologize to all who were hurt by your decision without reason. That includes Iraqi noncombatants and those who fought during the occupation only to protect themselves, their families and neighbors.
3) Ask specifically to be forgiven.
4) Demonstrate your sincerity by working as a volunteer at a VA facility or at a nonprofit NGO aiding Iraqis.
5) Wait to hear who forgives you.
Unfortunately, many have chosen to wait till 109% of the country has turned against Bushpolitik. Then they either say “I was set up!”, “I was framed!”, or “If only they’d done this right, it would have turned out okay” and try to scurry to catch up to all the rest so they can re-assume their self-entitled role as drum major and flag bearer.
And assuming parade leader positions leaves the rest of us nowhere to march forward except into the World’s Greatest Wall Of Ass.