At the Center of the Storm audiobook

I like George Tenet. He has a tough-guy New York accent and there's a picture of him in the book with a leather jacket on looking like he's really giving it to Andrew Card. Personally, I have no special strong feelings for George Bush, either way. But, when it comes down to finger-pointing (which, yes it has for a while now), Tenet wasn't a Bush Man---Clinton appointed him--and I think, in a lot of ways, that gives him a lot of credibility as far as believing what he has to say in this book. He wasn't totally wet behind the ears when 9/11 rolled around like most of the Bushies, and so in a lot of ways (yeah, again), his CYA (Cover Your Ass, which it's sort of undeniable this book is) has a lot more resonance for me. The fact of the matter is that unless Iraq miraculously turns itself around, there's going to be a lot of CYA coming out of the Bush administration as they, like Tenet, move from policy-making to history-writing. In addition to the fact that Tenet wasn't a Bush Man to begin with, his being the head of the CIA lends him more credibility, as the CIA is more of a technocratic, fact-finding organization than a policy-making organization (though that is debatable). The DOD should be a technocratic fact-finding org. too, but the fact is that during Bush Jr., it was staffed with the finest the American Enterprise Institute had to offer (read: the much maligned 'neo-cons'). And if half of what people, including Tenet, have to say about guys like Doug Feith, Richard Perle, and Paul Wolfowitz, along with Cheney and Rummy and their coteries, basically railroading the rest of Bush admin. into the Iraq War, then Tenet's CYA, again, has a lot more traction than whatever will come out of, for example, Rumsfeld's or Wolfowitz's corners (which, to tell you the truth, if they write memoires any time in the next decade, I'll be surprised.).Anyway, I didn't read this book because I'm "totally interested in knowing what really happened in the weeks in months building up to 9/11," but more because I like political memoires or books by guys who really were at the center of the proverbial storm (check Woodward and Bernstein's book The Final Days for a starting point). Anyway, this book was in many ways, a Real Page Turner for me. I didn't want to put it down. I think the CIA is fascinating. I think that Tenet's book is probably the closest you're going to get to the "real story" behind what went down behind the curtain during Bush. You get a real read on some personalities, etc. Moreover, according to Tenet, a lot of the contretemps and "mistakes" have more to do with the inevitable complications of navigating and maneuvering within huge bureacracies rather than some concerted effort to mislead, which is, for me, totally believable (eg., the whole Niger Delta/Iraq/yellowcake/State of the Union Address gaffe). I'd like to go into to detail but there's really too much to say (though I will say that nothing in here really surprised me.). It is what it is. Check it out for yourself. Until Colin Powell writes his book or (gasp!) maybe Condoleeza Rice or someone else closer to Bush (maybe even Bushy himself!) decides to write their political memoires (or maybe even after), this book is about the best thing you're going to get as far as an insider's account. Morever, as I wrote earlier, I'm more inclined to believe Tenet than I would be Rice, or Rummy or pretty much anyone besides George Tenet. So, this book just might be the best thing you'll get if you want know what went on in the Executive Branch, 2001-2005.

A good review of events leading up to 9-11 and the aftermath up to 2005 from the head of the CIA's point of view. Discusses the intelligence received, analyzed and either acted on or not, the decisions made by the administration, some being against advice of the CIA, and who takes blame when something goes wrong. Also talks about some of the bad decisions made in the aftermath of the invasion that contributed to the ongoing fighting that we still see there.

I acquired this during a period of time I was interested in Bush-era foreign policy. Disgust enabled disinterest, then I decided to read this anyway from that place. I find Tenet forthcoming, reflective, humble, and circumspect in describing a tenure over an area of foreign policy that has public failures and necessarily private successes. I am surprised he expresses such continued admiration of both "dubya" and Cheney even when he has to admit the possibility he was offered up as a scapegoat by Bush. Among the public failures, there is an analysis of the 1999 Bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and how the explicit unwillingness of the Dept. of Defense to should any of the blame caused it all to fall onto the CIA. This foreshadows the "Sixteen Words" controversy in 2003 State of the Union where similarly the CIA was out on a limb due to a lack of admission from inside the White House. This twisted tail along with "slam dunk" are some of the issues he makes serious, believable complaint about from the writing of Bob Woodward.Tenet disparages Israel for single-issue negotiating while he himself refused to budge on releasing Jonathan Pollard who spied for and providing top-secret classified information to Israel. The issue of his imprisonment has sometimes arisen with Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu has been particularly vocal in lobbying for Pollard's release, visiting Pollard in prison in 2002. He raised the issue with President Clinton during the Wye River peace talks in October 1998. In My Life, Clinton wrote that he was inclined to release Pollard, but the objections of U.S. intelligence officials were too strong:For all the sympathy Pollard generated in Israel, he was a hard case to push in America; he had sold our country's secrets for money, not conviction, and for years had not shown any remorse. When I talked to Sandy Berger and George Tenet, they were adamantly opposed to letting Pollard go, as was Madeleine Albright.Seems to me if it could really have materially advanced the cause of peace in the Middle East, it would be worth it.

Good first person narrative with excellent perspective from a very prominent seat to a very historic time.

A look at George Tenet’s time as director of central intelligence is chronicled in great detailFrom the man himself. It’s a political junkies book and follows the typical path of the person in question bragging about all the good deeds they’ve done and blaming others for the many mistakes. George does take some responsibility for some mistakes and tries not to throw too many people under the bus. It focuses on 9/11, Iraq and wmds and the role George had in gathering intel on those subjects. For political junkies.

A memoir from the guy in charge of the CIA for 7 years, including 2001. I was fascinated to see how much detail he could and did give about the country’s CIA operations. Much of the book is taken up with painstaking “I said/did, the press turned it into…” type recounting of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the later declaration of war in Iraq. The book did give me a good feeling that Tenet was a genuine, bright, principled, straightforward individual and therefore well suited to be director of the CIA. It also gives a bit of a scary feeling about how many credible threats there are against the US’s security. I wish Mr. Tenet had provided much more, or any, information regarding the majority of the 9/11 terrorists being Saudi citizens; and the “airlift” of Osama Bin Laden relatives out of the US when private flights were otherwise barred. But all in all, an interesting – though tediously detail ridden at times – account that sheds some light on the inner workings of one of the US’s most secretive agencies.

Loved this book. The author presents his unique view as the head of the CIA of the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq. He is extremely honest and forthright about mistakes he made during that time period, but also presents his opinion of what really happened in Washington. Makes you think twice about believing anything you hear on the news...

This is a great book if you want some insights into the inner workings of our government during the 911 crisis. I have gained a lot of respect for Mr. Tenet, namely because of his integrity in standing up to his convictions and his love for our country. The only downside to the book was that it was a little too long for me. I think he could have been more succint in telling his story.

Excellent book, reads like a spy thriller even though it's non-fiction. It gives some interesting insights into the thought process behind the CIA's decisions/choices, in particular the decision to go to war in Iraq. It also lays bare the intentions of some of the key players in the White House and their handling of the Iraq decision.

I found this fascinating but I do wish he would have just admitted that he did make a mistake and that he should have resigned earlier. I keep waiting for him to do this in the book. Do I believe what he wrote, well maybe, maybe not.

Offered some good insight into the goings on in washington and some into the war on terror. It was dry at times but in the end i came away feeling that i learned sone stuff which is why i chose to read it.