Bush's War Part1 (32 of 71)

Bush's War

Saddam may be a bad guy, but that's not who attacked us on September 11th, and we're not done getting after these guys." The struggle with the vice president and secretary of defense left many in the CIA wondering what was going to happen to George Tenet.
He could fight the White House, he could join them, or he could retire.
I think it was a very personal and pensive time for George.
I think he asked himself whether or not he wanted to continue on that road and to be part of it.
So I think he had some sort of long nights.
Tenet had an opportunity after the Afghan war to declare victory and go home.
He didn't take that opportunity.

I would imagine that he regrets it.
Tenet and the president met nearly every morning, Tenet personally delivering the presidential daily brief, the PDB.
They had become friends.
He's a very gregarious, enjoyable friend to have.
He wraps his hand around you, chewing on an unlit cigar.
He loves to talk sports.
He's a man's man.
It 's very easy to see how Tenet and George W.
Bush would have gotten along well.
They're both men who aren't going to spend a lot of time pulling apart nuances of international relations.
They're interested in short, sharp facts, a clear sense of direction.
Tenet, like the president, is casual in his demeanor.