Can you know you are in the middle of a tipping point, or is it only something you can see in retrospect?

The Tipping Points

The following is a transcript of remarks by CIA Director George J. Tenet to employees and members of the US Intelligence Community.

I have decided to step down as Director of Central Intelligence, effective July 11th, the seventh anniversary of my being sworn in as DCI.

I did not make this decision quickly or easily. But I know in my heart that the time is right to move on to the next phase of our lives.

As I look back on how the Intelligence Community has evolved over the past decade, there is much to be proud of.

What you have achieved in this fight against a clever, fanatical enemy, around the world the cells destroyed, the conspiracies defeated, the innocent lives saved will for most Americans be forever unknown and uncounted. But for those privileged to observe these often hidden successes, they will be an unforgettable testament to your dedication and your valor.

In short: each day, here and abroad, from diverse backgrounds, with varied skills, you come together for a single purpose: to give our country an essential advantage in its understanding of the conditions in the world, and in its ability to change those conditions for the better.

We are not perfect but one of our best kept secrets is that we are very, very, very good.

It is difficult in knowing that I will not be as directly connected to the thousands of men and women overseas who along with their families sacrifice so much to protect our country.

But there is also great joy in knowing that I will never be far away in heart and spirit from all of you. You will have no greater advocate wherever I may be for you and your families.

As Dick Helms used to say, let's get on with it and get back to work.

Tenet Remarks to CIA Colleagues

What on Earth is he talking about?

Instant Analysis: Tenet Resigns

The timing of Tenet's resignation came as a surprise in Washington.

CIA Director Tenet Resigns

Decius wrote:
]] Tonight, as he vowed to stay the
]] course in Iraq, Bush demonstrated another mental defect:
]] incomprehension of his role in history as a fallible
]] human agent. Absent such comprehension, Bush can't fix
]] his mistakes in Iraq because he can't see how or even
]] that he screwed up.
]
] That's pretty much how I feel about the present spin work that
] Bush is engaged in. The situation in Iraq is fucked up. I want
] to see changes on the ground. Spin doctoring doesn't influence
] me.

Bush's unwillingness to reflect on the past, either distant or recent, is a serious flaw. It is even more troublesome that despite having smart, thoughtful people on his team -- I'm thinking mainly of Rumsfeld, Powell, and Rice -- he seems largely unable or unwilling to integrate their arguments into his worldview. He seems to have adopted neither Powell's caution nor his care, neither Rumsfeld's constant questioning of assumptions nor his ongoing analysis of alternatives, neither Rice's depth of expertise nor her clarity.

Last Friday, Bob Woodward was on Charlie Rose for the hour. If you didn't catch it at the time, it is very worthwhile. You can listen in streaming RealAudio at

http://media5.bloomberg.com:443/cgi-bin/getavfile.cgi?A=22235869

Bob says something to the effect that Bush is not really thinking about or planning to run "against" John Kerry this fall. Rather, Bush is running against himself, or, more specifically, against his performance in Iraq and the global war on terror. Extrapolating from this viewpoint, it's possible that Bush will either decline to debate Kerry at all, or will go for the absolute minimum level of engagement -- perhaps a single hour-long debate in late September, for example. Bush will focus on foreign policy and national security; Kerry, about domestic issues -- health care and the economy. Mostly, they will just talk past each other.

MSNBC - About last night

Given the quality of the testimony so far, it is not likely that the Senate hearings will produce the answers the public deserves.

An Abu Ghraib Investigation

"Likely a Leftover From the 80's", said USA Today.

Sarin? What Sarin?

Cryptome offers up the much-talked-about Taguba Report for your review.

The official name of the report is: Article 15-6 Investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade.

The Taguba Report

Picture Lindsay Lohan saying to Lacey Chabert: "Get OUT !?!"

Or, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as Elaine Benes, to Jerry Seinfeld, with a light touch of physical violence for added effect.

Your choice.

In an article in the spring issue of The National Interest, the former president of the liberal Carnegie Endowment for International Peace weighs the costs and benefits of both staying and leaving. Of course success with a policy is always better than failing. But he concludes that a US pullout wouldn't be crippling, partly because it's so uncertain that staying would achieve any of the goals the Bush Administration has laid out.

3,431 words about foreign policy, and four of them are "Saudi Arabia." Here's to progress!

The Case for Leaving Iraq Pronto

] Bored Boy Behind President Gets Nationwide Attention

awesome.

Bored Boy Behind President Gets Nationwide Attention