I don't like this. It feels wrong. In spite of the fact that Tenet wasn't perfect, it feels like the wrong guy is leaving.
With the exception of the "slam dunk" story, Tenet has appeared to be a brake, granted ineffectual, on the admin hawks. At the very least, he provided some crucial moments of sanity when he refused to go along with certain neocon fantasies.
Of all the people who should go, Tenet is way down on the list.
And what about that "slam dunk" remark? From 3000 miles away, it always looked bogus to me. Remember, the broadcaster of the story, Woodward, did not personally witness this incident. He recounted it based on other people's stories about that meeting. And frankly those stories just seem tailored to give the Bush some cover.
The account of that entire meeting sounds off to me--Bush doubting the strength of the evidence, having to be convinced by Tenet that the evidence was good and strong. First because it's completely at odds with the actors' actions at the time--Bush touting the certainty of this same evidence even before this meeting, going too far in assertions and having to backtrack, sometimes based on Tenet's refusal to back him up. Second, the story itself feels like those same PR myths we hear periodically--Bush on 9/11 raging to get back to DC, wanting to address the nation asap, Bush thoughtfully pondering stem cell research before announcing policy, and others.
I sure hope the WH doesn't think Tenet is a sufficient sacrifice to the angry populace. Because he isn't. We want the true bad actors, starting with Rumsfeld and finishing up with Bush/Cheney.
