Best CIA chief in years feared upcoming criticism of Senate panel
June 4, 2004
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
WASHINGTON -- The resignation of George Tenet on Wednesday as director of Central Intelligence came as a surprise to most of Washington, but not to some select members of the Senate who had been conferring with him.
For the last two months, Tenet had confided that he wanted to avoid the storm threatened by the Senate Intelligence Committee. With a target date of late June, the committee's report on the CIA's failures is expected to make a harsh assessment of the intelligence community -- especially Tenet's CIA. "He knew what was coming," said one well-placed Republican senator, "and he did not want to take it."
This contradicted Tenet's plans to stick it out through the November elections. Even if President Bush were re-elected and even if he asked Tenet to stay, Tenet had no interest in continuing into 2005. As it is, Tenet's seven-plus years are second only to the legendary Allen Dulles in the tenure of directors.
Nobody believes Tenet was pushed out of the job so the president could claim he had established accountability for the intelligence failures in his administration. It appears that Tenet submitted his resignation to a surprised Bush on Wednesday night, just as he said.
Tenet was tired from one of the most exhausting positions in the government. It is also true that he had lost some prestige from Bob Woodward's new book, Plan of Attack. Tenet, a college basketball fan, is described by Woodward as shouting "slam dunk" when asked whether the CIA had evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Tenet also will not fare well in investigative reports soon to be released. The independent 9/11 commission, headed by former New Jersey Gov. Robert Kean, will not treat him gently. But the Kean commission will deal with much more than the CIA in its report, to be released in July.
The much more imminent danger to Tenet is from the Senate Intelligence Committee, headed by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). Although Roberts is a loyal Republican and a staunch supporter of the president, he is a public servant of high integrity who will not gloss over the CIA's failings under Tenet. The report will not be as strong as Democrats would prefer, but it will not be pleasant for Tenet.
Reports or no reports, Tenet cannot escape the CIA's twin failures under his leadership: not warning the government of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and providing false intelligence to justify the U.S. attack on Iraq. Bush has come under mostly quiet criticism from some Republicans in Congress for retaining President Bill Clinton's director of Central Intelligence instead of naming his own man.
Still the consensus is that he was the most effective director in many years. He certainly had the confidence of Bush, usually beginning the president's day with a one-on-one briefing. Though a Democratic congressional staffer rather than an intelligence professional, Tenet became very popular inside the agency. His emotional farewell address Thursday delivered at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va., outside Washington, was well received by the intelligence professionals.
In contrast, there are reports of tension between Tenet and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. She has publicly put the blame on him occasionally, and Tenet did not appreciate that treatment.
The new director faces a difficult time for the agency. The acting director, CIA careerist John McLaughlin, is a competent professional but not the highly visible figure desirable for this important post.
A big consideration for a permanent replacement is who can be quickly confirmed by the Senate without protracted and unpleasant debate. That completely rules out Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who was destined for the CIA post at the beginning of the Bush administration before he was selected for the Pentagon.
The most frequently named replacement is Rep. Porter Goss (R-Fla.), longtime chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and one of Tenet's strongest supporters. Goss is a former CIA employee who knows the agency, but at age 65 might find the demands of the job too taxing.
Despite Tenet's problems, he will not be an easy act to follow. His successor may not enjoy his close relationship with Bush, may not possess his deep intelligence background and will have to work from scratch in building confidence at Langley. It was understandable that the president did not look happy about Tenet's surprise, which created more problems than it solved. |
