CIA Chief George Tenet goes out with the same misleading information that has characterized his tenure in office. In his farewell address to CIA employees, he declares that he is leaving for "family" reasons--not any other pressures: "it was a personal decision and had only one basis in fact: The well-being of my wonderful family, nothing more and nothing less." He cites primarily his desire to be with his son during his senior year of high school: "You have just been a great son, and I'm now going to be a great dad."
Tenet was born on Jan. 5, 1953, according to a CNN profile. That would make him 51 years old, and ready to retire, or at least take a year-long vacation from work.
Seems hard to believe... unless one accepts what he must mean: he wants to resign now in the interest of his family because of the coming bombshells critiquing the obvious failures of intelligence, both pre-9/11 and Iraq-non-WMD. (Okay, I concede that I can't look into Tenet's mind and confirm this, but it seems the best explanation of the facts.)
This slippery language is, alas, what we've come to expect.
As an aside, Tenet warmly praises President Bush:
I want to say a word of special thanks to President Bush. On entering office he immediately recognized the importance of rebuilding our intelligence capabilities. He spends time with us almost every day. He has shown great care for our officers. He's a great champion for the men and women of U.S. intelligence and a constant source of support.
It's been an honor for me to serve as his director of central intelligence.
Absent is any reference to Clinton, who appointed him to the post.