NYT: George Tenet's new book will give the "real context" for the "slam dunk" episode

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/washington/13tenet.html

<snip>

Mr. Tenet is not expected to take on Mr. Bush, with whom he developed a close bond during early morning intelligence briefings in the Oval Office. But Mr. Tenet’s friends said he had been surprised when Mr. Cheney and Ms. Rice, appearing on Sunday talk shows last September, fingered him in justifying Mr. Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq.

In the interview on “Meet the Press,” Mr. Cheney said: “George Tenet sat in the Oval Office and the president of the United States asked him directly, he said, ‘George, how good is the case against Saddam on weapons of mass destruction?’ The director of the C.I.A. said, ‘It’s a slam dunk, Mr. President, it’s a slam dunk.’ ”

Mr. Cheney added, “That was the intelligence that was provided to us at the time, and based upon which we made a choice.”

Promotional materials for the book promise that Mr. Tenet will give the “real context” for that episode.

One person who has read early drafts of the book said Mr. Tenet defended himself by carefully parsing the “slam dunk” comment: he said he was not telling Mr. Bush that there was rock-solid evidence that Mr. Hussein had chemical and biological weapons, only that the president could make a “slam dunk” case to the American public about these weapons programs.

[Bluebear]

1. Mr. Tenet, take your treasonous book and shove it up your ass sideways.

Thank you.

[Toucano]

3. And thank you!

I couldn't have said it better. :)

[Bluebear]

5. Uggggh! To have the gall to write a BOOK after all this! nt

[EFerrari]

4. There was a great Frontline show that presented the struggle between

Tenet and Cheney/Rumsfeld.

It doesn't surprise me that there are these struggles but it is odious that they can result in illegal occupations. It's a game to them, imho. A game. And meanwhile,

[malaise]

9. What a group of shameless men

Still comments like his should mean that people are less likely to be as gullible re Iran.

[ShortnFiery]

2. One of Dimson's "Medal of SHAME" awardees speaks out ...

Well pardon me if I don't give a shit since you sold out your honor, your CIA and the Constitution while enabling our Idiot King to get his war-on with Iraq. :thumbsdown:

[Hissyspit]

6. Hunh? I can't tell the difference in context. Am I missing something? And why now...

by the way, Mr. Tenet. If there is something there, you could have spoken up earlier. :eyes:

[Solly Mack]

7. Ever notice the number of books that come out when there is a

scandal or unpopular (to include criminal) policy in government expressing the key player's *perspective* on how events unfolded?

and if you want to get the "real" story (the truth about what happened in our own government) you have to "buy the book"

Can't rely on exposure and accoutability within government..so buy the book.

because *truth* in government comes with a price tag...and even then you get 12 different books with 12 different perspectives that all attempt to explain away or mitigate the authors role in the scandal/criminal activity...and some of the books serve to place the blame directly elsewhere

all the while government itself is hiding actual facts behind a smokescreen of national security or electing to not hold people accountable in the interest of "national healing" (coughspewchoke)

so book after book is published and people desperate for what really happened purchase the books and have to weed through them all to get a small piece of the truth and a whole lot of speculation...with the complete truth never laid out

ever wonder if government relies on these books to help muddy the waters? to help spread disinformation? to help confuse the facts so greatly that people become weary of ever learning the truth?

and another thing...why do such authors get to write books and make money off information/knowledge they supposedly have now but didn't seem to know when asked by Congress?

It's almost as if the entire process is set up that way...answer to Congress with "I don't recall"...so accountability in government is non-existent...then write a tell all best-seller just chock full of recalling and explanation



I'm just venting...just pondering...just disgusted by the lies of government..overlook me

[wake.up.america]

8. Nice try, but no cigar. Georgie Tee screwed the country and wants a reprieve.

[Disturbed]

10. Tenet sat right behind Colon while lies were being spouted.

Tenet knew that was a Con Job.

[Tin Man]

16. Here's the photo. Does Tenet look a bit sheepish to anyone else?

[hlthe2b]

11. they've been hyping this book for so long...

but it is clear in this article, at least, that Tenet's book is nothing moret than a self-serving white wash... (must protect his good buddy, Bush* --right)

[Doondoo]

12. K&R

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. So Tenet basically told President Bush that the American people

were gullible enough to be fooled?

[Tin Man]

14. Ding - Gold Star for you !

...and a Gold Medal for Tenet.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Well, the CIA is all about smoke and mirrors. And I'm sure this isn't

the first time that they mounted a hostile manuever against our democracy to benefit their status quo.

It scares the hell out of me that we've had this agency working behind the scenes, undermining good people, and bribing bad people. And until we demand justice and hang those who planned these actions against our country, we need to be aware that they are our American Al Qaeda, doing what Al Qaeda does best.

[Skidmore]

15. I imagine Tenet's book will be big enough to

cover his extra large butt, and nothing more. What is the motivation for him to be truthful?

[eppur_se_muova]

18. "It's not a good argument, but we can sell it as one."

So his conscience is clear?

"Excuse me, Mr. Tenet, that's not your conscience ... that's your vanity."

[Martin Eden]

19. Does Tenet realize what he's saying???

When he says the evidence wasn't rock solid but that a "slam dunk" case could be made to the public, he's talking about misrepresenting the evidence to the public!!!

[htuttle]

20. I think I already knew this -- wasn't that how it originally came out?

...and then was 'recontextualized' after no WMD were found? I'm sure that this 'new' meaning of slam dunk was how I originally understood Tenet's use of the term.