The Tenet Fiasco - Discussion Thread

self

[Cathryn Crawford]

George Tenet's admission last night that it was his mistake that caused President Bush to use faulty intelligence in his State of The Union address is interesting at the same time as it is convienent. In the statement itself, which is lengthy and filled with reasons as to the intelligence failure, Tenet wholeheartedly takes responsility for his agency.

"Let me be clear about several things right up front. First, CIA approved the President's State of the Union address before it was delivered. Second, I am responsible for the approval process in my Agency. And third, the President had every reason to believe that the text presented to him was sound. These 16 words should never have been included in the text written for the President. "

On the face of it, this admission seems like the perfect solution to the growing problems for both the Bush and Blair administration. It's all CIA's fault, they can claim. But is that really viable?

On the face of it, perhaps. But Bush is the President. He has to take final responsibility, doesn't he?

If Bush can truly claim to know absolutely nothing, then don't we have a serious problem - wouldn't that imply that Bush is either incompetent or is simply not paying attention?

For discussion purposes - has Bush been conned by Tenet? And if he has, isn't that rather serious?

And if he wasn't conned by Tenet, what is the alternative?

[Fred Mertz]

Nah. She's just fine over here.

She most assuredly is!

[Refinersfire]

I keep reading these people, that don't like what Ms. Crawford wrote or did/didn't do and wonder if they understand how much they act the same as Sen. Clinton, when she doesn't get her way.

[Lauratealeaf]

Good post. Thanks for posting the Straw article. I read it. It is very illuminating.

[nunya bidness]

As Sabertooth so eloquently put it about another poster:

TLBSHOW was excitable and ubiquitous, with a gift for overstatement and a knack for being a contrarian, right or wrong.

However, TLBSHOW's greatest sin was that he ruffled the wrong feathers, annoyed the wrong H-formation gaggles, and enjoyed it all way too much. So, paradoxically, they became obsessed with him, keeping watch, laying in wait, and notifying each other by freepmails of his longed-for appearances, which were titillating outrages for the self-annointed guardians of President Bush.

Nightly, they would converge and squawk their pent-up angsts, driven by darker compulsions, at once attracted and repulsed by this eccentric, HTML-posting negation of their paragon of unrequited virtue, President Bush. Somehow, by exorcising their desirous demons on TLBSHOW, they felt closer to the object of their devotions at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

With whom will they concern themselves now?

Tag, you're it.

[Sparta]

Good point

[Torie]

Somehow, I think CC is a survivor. She has a certain je ne sais qua. That is my totally subjective opinion.

[Sparta]

Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America. And we always have fun doing it. Hoo-yah!

This is an INDEPENDENT conservative site. All conservatives, including Miss Crawford are welcome here.

[FreeReign]

"When are some of you going to understand that this President is honest and honorable." You mean like he is with the blocking of Foreign Aid in regards to the Life Issue? Seems that he just broke a promise this past week... oh well, carry on, nothing to see here..

The money will not fund abortion or abortion counseling. Where did you here differently?

[FreeReign]

here -> hear.

[PhiKapMom]

Stuff it! I didn't get that email until this evening and didn't even check my email until minutes before I posted it on here as we were discussing Hillary.

How dumb do you think I am? Guess you think I have a source at Newsmax now that you seem to infer I received the information before the email and only posted to CC and others because I want to sell books. BTW, I am not Carl Limbacher and I do not work for Conservative Book Service!

My original premise stands. CC is a member of the media, she posted a vanity that has a suspect headline, and some of us, including myself, did not know she was a member of the media. I don't normally go around reading threads that have posters on them that are Anti-Bush! She accused me of plagerism when I put her quote in quotes and attributed it to her!

So you can quit your all knowing attitude. I posted this because it discusses Hillary's candidacy and some people on here think we should be bi-partisan and not take out the RATs. I don't happen to agree with that!

I am a George W. Bush Republican and proud of it!

[Sparta]

She most assuredly is!

I'll bump that.

[cyncooper]

Lying is gross misconduct.

And what would you have happen?

Now you are saying somebody lied.

Who?

I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer since you seem to enjoy making charges but don't back them up or respond to those who refute them.

[huck von finn]

But, as CNN have reported, Ambassador Wilson's report also noted that in 1999 an Iraqi delegation sought the expansion of trade links with Niger - and that former Niger government officials believed that this was in connection with the procurement of yellowcake.

"Uranium is Niger's main export. In other words, this element of Ambassador Wilson's report supports the statement in the Government's dossier.

It does not necessarily follow that because an Iraqi delegation sought expansion of trade with Niger, and Niger's main export is the uranium, that Iraq was trying to buy uranium. It is plausible, but it is not proof. Maybe some government officials across the globe should take a course in basic logic before sending soldiers to die.

[Peter Libra]

Just got back to FR. My mention of Saul D Alinsky. Rules for Radicals. Vintage Press. Random House 1971, brought your query. This was to the effect that was Hillary Rodham Clinton was a follower of this left wing radical?

My hastily and furious accessing Google brought forth this: Both Joseph Farah-Titled, The Emergence of Hillary Rodham Clinton, posted on FR 03/24/2000 and Blanquita Cullum elsewhere held forth.

Oh my, horrors. Saul D Alinsky IS Hillary Clinton. One lives and learns.

[MEG33]

What exactly are you accusing Tenet of?Why should he be forced to resign? The statement that Bush made was true.Are you saying he's not backing the President or that he allowed the Pres.to be put in a position to be criticised or what?If that one statement is causing blood in the water it's because there are Dems and anti war people who want it and the press loves conflict.It's much ado about nothing.War is hell and we are into the next election war.This is only the beginning!

[MEG33]

What exactly are you accusing Tenet of?Why should he be forced to resign? The statement that Bush made was true.Are you saying he's not backing the President or that he allowed the Pres.to be put in a position to be criticised or what?If that one statement is causing blood in the water it's because there are Dems and anti war people who want it and the press loves conflict.It's much ado about nothing.War is hell and we are into the next election war.This is only the beginning!

[Refinersfire]

"The money will not fund abortion or abortion counseling. Where did you here differently?"

The lastest lowdown on this subject is, that the rules for grants of this money are being changed so that a "group" can't use it for any project that is earmarked for killing the un-born, BUT any group may place it in their general funds. And then these funds "can" but used to oversee "all" projects.

[huck von finn]

"Finally, may I underline that the JIC's (Joint Intelligence Committee) assessment of Iraq's efforts to reconstitute its nuclear programme did not rest on the attempted acquisition of yellowcake alone. The Government's dossier catalogued a range of other procurement activities, and referred to intelligence that scientists had been recalled to the programme in 1998. You will be aware of the recent discovery of technical documentation and centrifuge parts - necessary for the enrichment of uranium - buried at the home of an Iraqi nuclear scientist in Baghdad."

And THIS one proved the case for Weapons of Mass Destruction, eh?

[cyncooper]

CIA Got Uranium Mention Cut in Oct.

Why Bush Used It In Jan. Is Unclear

Um, what you evidently think is new news from the Washington Post was discussed yesterday. Review the content of the president's reference to the matter again and ponder. Then remember that Britain still stands by their claim.

You are intent on making a mountain out of a molehill by ignoring certain information and emphasizing or distorting other aspects of the story. That is what the dems and media are doing, too, all in an effort to harm the president.

[MEG33]

Oh, please.If you think that one aspect of what the whole intelligence community thought Iraq was doing,had done,or was attempting to do was why congress approved going to war and Americans supported it your view is a bit myopic.