Is Tenet's book just some more COINTELPRO (counterintelligence proliferation) to add to the pyre of bullshit that is Bu$hCo's 2007 Iraq War foreign policy?
The CIA: It's a mystery, buried in an enigma, within a paradox. Just ten years ago, The Discovery Channel aired a program on the 50th Anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Things were different then. The French say, "Plus ça change, plus c'ést la même chose," i.e., The more things change, the more they remain the same.
Since his resignation in July 2004, when George Tenet officially left his position as DCI (he was gone in May '04, with vacation, personal & sick days), he has been teaching. With the recent publication of his book, Mr.Tenet aired his views on 60 Minutes. (CBS has it posted now on its website.) In his mea culpa/apologia for the misdeeds in Iraq that continue unabated as a result of what he wants to represent as his compliance and compromise, and Administration spin, Tenet doesn't really shed new light on his suspected collaboration. Oh, he massages a few facts and disputes his positions, but one cannot contradict what one did not do. And his words betray his undeeds.
Nor did he say very much on Sunday night about the outing of Valerie Plame-Wilson. Scott Pelley threw him an underhanded pitch, to which George answered:
"She's one of my officers. That's wrong. Big time wrong, you don't get to do that," Tenet says. "And the chilling effect that you have inside my work force is, 'Whoa, now officers names are being thrown out the door. Hold it. Not right.'"
Asked how much damage that did, Tenet says, "That's not the point. Just because there's a Washington bloodletting game going on here and just because her husband's out there saying what he's saying. The country's intelligence officers are not fair game. Period. That's all you need to know."
"They didn't seem to know that in the White House," Pelley remarks.
"I'm done with it. I've just told you what I think," Tenet says.
So maybe that's what Tenet's book attempts, in part:
"...the chilling effect that you [can] have inside my work force..."
And the current blowback against Tenet from the State Department? More opportunities to rewrite Rice lies and "cannot recall" redux. But we know the facts. And in the context of a few short years, Tenet offers nothing new.
Can his book prompt a reemphasis on Administration and Rice lies about pre-Iraq war planning?
Richard Clarke's book [Against All Enemies]
..recounts a conversation on September 12, 2001, in which President Bush himself said:
"Go back over everything, everything. See if Saddam did this. See if he's linked in any way..."
I was once again taken aback, incredulous, and it showed. "But Mr. President, al Qaeda did this."
"I know, I know, but ... see if Saddam was involved. Just look. I want to know any shred ..."
"Absolutely, we will look ... again." I was trying to be more respectful, more responsive. "But, you know, we have looked several times for state sponsorship of al Qaeda and not found any real linkages to Iraq. Iran plays a little, as does Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, Yemen."
Following the publication of Clarke's book, White House representative Stephen J. Hadley told the CBS 60 Minutes news program, "We cannot find evidence that this conversation between Mr. Clarke and the president ever occurred." According to Washington Post reporter Barton Gellman, however, "two people who were present confirmed Clarke's account. They said national security adviser Condoleezza Rice witnessed the exchange." Gellman also noted that Rice has written an opinion article for the Washington Post which confirms that the conversation occurred.
(Good work, Mr.Gellman:-ed.)
Since this was the capstone of Tenet's CIA career, his silence about the betrayal of Valerie and the burning of the Brewster Jennings op is certainly suspect. But that's not all that comes to the fore, in the context of what we now know about COINTELPRO.
Going back to where this diary started: A 1997 press release from March 28th 1997:
CIA: Covert US Warriors Examined
by Parveez Syed © Shanti RTV News Agency
WASHINGTON DC [SCN] - Discovery Channel in the US is set to televise a three-part series on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Agency. The series, entitled "CIA: America's Secret Warriors", begins on Monday 31 March 97 at 10pm EST and runs through to Wednesday 02 April 97.
The series instructs and warns about the secret government. It includes a number of interviews with former directors, and officers - proponents as well as some critics. It deserves some sober attention and reflection.
Many critics of the Western or US intelligence community would consider "undemocratic empowerment" a valid description - secret budgets, criminality exempted from Justice Department action, policy approval that is often covert even with regard to broad issues, avoidance of public debate of many things it is assumed wouldn't be approved, etc.
(emphasis:-ed.)
Plus ça change....