At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA

530 Pages·2007·2.42 MB·English

by  George Tenet

At the CENTER of the STORM
My Years at the CIA
George Tenet
with Bill Harlow
For Stephanie and John Michael, my wife and son,
who accepted and shared the privilege and challenge of public service,
and reminded me each day that the sacrifices were worth it.
Their love and understanding are my greatest reward.
CONTENTS
Principal Characters
Preface
PART I
CHAPTER 1 The Towpath
CHAPTER 2 The Burning Platform
CHAPTER 3 Shot Out of a Cannon
CHAPTER 4 Waging Peace
CHAPTER 5 Beyond Wye
CHAPTER 6 Arafat
PART II
CHAPTER 7 Gathering Storm
CHAPTER 8 “They’re Coming Here”
CHAPTER 9 9/11
CHAPTER 10 “We’re at War”
CHAPTER 11 Missed Opportunities
CHAPTER 12 Into the Sanctuary
CHAPTER 13 Threat Matrix
CHAPTER 14 They Want to Change History
Photographic Insert
CHAPTER 15 The Merchant of Death and the Colonel
PART III
CHAPTER 16 Casus Belli
CHAPTER 17 “The One Issue That Everyone Could Agree On”
CHAPTER 18 No Authority, Direction, or Control
CHAPTER 19 Slam Dunk
CHAPTER 20 Taking “the Case” Public
CHAPTER 21 Diplomacy by Other Means
CHAPTER 22 The Hunt for WMD
CHAPTER 23 Mission Not Accomplished
CHAPTER 24 Sixteen Words
CHAPTER 25 Going
Afterword
Glossary
Acknowledgments
Searchable Terms
About the Author
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Charles “Charlie” Allen, assistant director of central intelligence (ADCI) for
collection (1998–2005).
Cofer Black, chief of CIA’s Counterterrorist Center.
Helge Boes, member of the clandestine service; killed on duty in Afghanistan
(2003).
Ben Bonk, deputy chief, CIA’s Counterterrorist Center.
John O. Brennan, my chief of staff (2000–2001).
Lt. Gen. John “Soup” Campbell, associate director of central intelligence
(ACDI) for military support (2001–2004).
Henry “Hank” Crumpton, chief of the Counterterrorist Center, Special
Operations Division.
John M. Deutch, Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) (1995–1996).
Tyler Drumheller, chief of Directorate of Operations, European Division.
Alan Foley, senior CIA official.
Robert “Bob” Grenier, former Agency Islamabad senior officer, “mission
manager” for Iraq.
Wilma Hall, special assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence at the Old
Executive Office Building (OEOB).
Dottie Hanson, my personal assistant (1995–2004).
Bill Harlow, Agency spokesman (1997–2004).
Stephen R. “Steve” Kappes, senior officer in the clandestine service.
Richard Kerr, former senior analyst.
A. B. “Buzzy” Krongard, executive director (2001–2004).
Mark Mansfield, deputy Agency spokesman.
John E. McLaughlin, deputy director of central intelligence (DDCI) (2000–
2004).
Jami Miscik, deputy director of intelligence (DDI) (2002–2005).
Michael J. “Mike” Morell, my executive assistant, presidential briefer.
John H. Moseman, my chief of staff (2001–2004).
Stanley Moskowitz, former CIA senior officer in Tel Aviv.
Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, head of the Counterterrorist Center’s Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD) branch.
Geoff O’Connell, former CIA senior officer in Tel Aviv.
Daniel “Doc” O’Connor, chief of my security detail.
James “Jim” Pavitt, deputy director of operations and head of the clandestine
service.
Rob Richer, senior officer in the clandestine service.
Michael Scheuer, chief of “Alec Station,” the Bin Ladin unit.
Gary Schroen, former senior officer in Islamabad, Pakistan, head of the
Northern Afghanistan Liaison Team (NALT).
Johnny Micheal Spann, clandestine service officer; killed on duty in
Afghanistan (2001).
Bob Walpole, national intelligence officer for strategic programs.
WHITE HOUSE
Samuel “Sandy” Berger, national security advisor (1997–2001).
Robert Blackwill, U.S. ambassador to India (2001–2003), National Security
Council deputy for Iraq (2003–2004).
George W. Bush, president of the United States (2001–).
Andy Card, White House chief of staff (2001–2006).
Richard B. “Dick” Cheney, vice president (2001–).
Richard “Dick” Clarke, National Security Council Counterterrorism official
(1990–2003).
Bill Clinton, president of the United States (1993–2001).
Al Gore, vice president (1993–2001).
Stephen “Steve” Hadley, deputy national security advisor (2001–2005).
John Hannah, a member of the vice president’s staff.
Zalmay Khalilizad, senior director for Gulf and Southwest Asia, National
Security Council (2001–2003).
Anthony “Tony” Lake, national security advisor (1993–1997), Director of
Central Intelligence nominee 1997.
I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, chief of staff to the vice president (2001–2005).
John Podesta, White House chief of staff (1998–2001).
Condoleezza Rice, national security advisor (2001–2005).
STATE DEPARTMENT
Madeleine Albright, secretary of state (1997–2001).
Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state (2001–2005).
John Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control (2001–2005).
William Burns, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs (2001–2005).
Marc Grossman, undersecretary of state for political affairs (2001–2005).
Martin Indyk, U.S. ambassador to Israel (1995–1997, 2000–2001).
Colin L. Powell, secretary of state (2001–2005).
Dennis Ross, Middle East envoy.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Louis Freeh, FBI director (1993–2001).
Robert Mueller, FBI director (2001–).
PENTAGON
Stephen Cambone, undersecretary of defense for intelligence (2003–).
William Cohen, secretary of defense (1997–2001).
Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy (2001–2005).
Vice Adm. Lowell “Jake” Jacoby, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency
(2002–2005).
Gen. Richard “Dick” Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2001–
2005).
Donald Rumsfeld, secretary of defense (2001–2006).
Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense (2001–2005).