George Tenet excuses the torture he will not admit to on grounds of 9/11. That day was possible only because the rule passed in 1970s that the pilot's cabin will be rendered impenetrable was, by 2000 never ever observed. Thus, in 20 minutes four passenger planes were skyjacked. So when Tenet insisted to Wolf Blitzer that only the torture of detainees resulted in the stopping of more passenger panes used as flying bombs, I insist, no, post-9/11 impenetrability of the pilot's cabin finally prevented it. But from Bush to Michael Sheuer, incompetent "intelligence blind" officials have been excusing their unimaginative use of torture-- which they will not talk about, other than say that they didn't use it but used it-- on grounds that it stopped what they can't talk about. Tenet wants us to tell him that we don't want terror in order to prevent it. So, just as I would have told Al Capone that we don't want murder used, I tell Tenet that we don't want torture used, especially when it has produced nothing that they can point to. To try and get our attention in exchange for a $4 million dollars publishing contract and then say that you can't talk about what you did, is more of the CIA deceptions we witnessed in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond: all in the course of shady cash deals that resulted in a lot of lowly payed CIA operatives becoming rich entrepreneurs on Saudi cash upon retirement. You can't continue to lie, Mr. Tenet, on grounds that the truth is a secret!

Daniel E. Teodoru

Tenet should be ashamed of himself, but instead he is arrogant and self righteous. He is a poor example of a Freedom Medal recipient. I still don't understand why he couldn't tell Bush at his daily briefings that it was a bad idea to go to war with Iraq. He has been interviewed several times in the last few days and when he is asked why didn't you tell the President not to go to war with Iraq, he says it wasn't his job to make policy. what a ridiculous statement when there are thousands of lives at stake. He should lose his CIA pension for malfeasance.

Connie Lipnick

Joan doesn't have to contribute anything in order to criticize. That would be because she is protected by the constitution of the U.S. (or at least what's left of it) and that little item called the first amendment.

As for the 3000+ dead U.S. military service men and women, they all rest at the feet of the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz cabal. Congress voted to authorize war because it was lied to over and over again. It is totally inaccurate to say that congress looked at the same intelligence as the administration because we all know that Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, etal manipulated the data and simply lied. Therefore, nobody in congress (republican, democrat, independent) can be held responsible for even one of those 3000+ lives that have been lost in this debacle. This is not the first time in our life time that we were lied into war. Always remember Tiberius, The Gulf of Tonkin incident nerver happened and we lost some 58,000 soldiers because of that lie.

from what I've seen of Joan she hasn't contributed enough to justify criticizing anyone and the 3000+ deaths need to be evenly distributed amongst a truckload of dems and, of course the terrorists/insurgents, as long as you are placing blame.

rich, I just get too busy sometimes to respond but don't worry when I can I will.

...never comes back with any semi-witty retorts after dropping his pathetic verbal hand grenades, then being slapped down by someone?

What's up with that? Could it be that he's capable only of "Your mother wears Army shoes" insults, but can't get beyond it to have a coherent discussion or even an interesting argument?

Just asking.

I agree whole-heartedly that the money from Tenet's book should go to some charity or foundation that begins to mitigate the immense damage Tenet has caused. Whether it's a veteran's foundation, a widows-and-orphans fund, or a relief program for Iraqis matters less to me.

As for the Medal of Freedom, like everything else this administration has touched, it's tarnished. He can keep it.

Who's next for the Medal of Freedom? Let Me see---Fredo--Turd Blossom--Darth--Brownie--Wolfie--Rummy--Condi--William The Bloody--Robert Novak--Limblow--ORally--Bug Man--Haggart--Falwell--Pat Robertson--? Fine and brave Americans each and every one!!!!! Tommie27

The men and women who have given up their lives in this war/conflict/police-action/civil war, etc. should be the recepients of this medal, not a political hack cashing in on his selective memory and memoirs. Yeah, he needs to give it back and donate all of the book profits to the USO...he won't suffer.

None of Joan's personal shortcomings have contributed to the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians and more than 3000 U.S. service men and women. And, she has certainly not accepted a medal for any of her shortcomings, whatever they may be. So, if your are going to write in this space, try using some common sense.

One thing the Bush administration can make one forget is the concept of public service. In Angels and America, the character of Roy Cohn -- I know he's not your role model, and he isn't mine either -- berates another character for hesitating at all when he is summoned to Washington. When Washington calls, you go.

George Tenet was a public servant, and the head of our government bestowed its highest honor upon him. It is not for us to tell him to give it back. It's also unrealistic, I think, to expect the DCI to blow the whistle on a sitting president before an election.

I highly recommend The One Percent Doctrine by Ron Suskind. Tenet is flawed, of course, but he likely sleeps better than most other Bush administration officials.

Tenet received the medal for the same reason the others did: he took the blame on Bush's behalf. The medal is a badge of shame and he should be forced to wear it for the rest of his life.

Joan: I caught your performance on Scarborough last night, and while I agree Tenet's actions were, and continue to be, incompetent and deplorable, it's obvious Scarborough is using the occasion to scapegoat him for Bush's shortcomings. I presume this is the Republican talking-point we're hearing. You were off-base in accepting their portrayal Tenet as the mastermind of the Bad Intel, leading poor dear gullible George and Dick down the primrose path and all that. I won't let Tenet off the hook, but even a clock that runs backwards is going to be right at least twice a day -- and when he laid down his rhetorical challenge -- did Cheney really need Tenet's say-so to invade Iraq, when the overwhelming concensus of evidence clearly shows Cheney's mind was made up from day one -- that much has the ring of truth, and we shouldn't allow the rest of it to become a sideshow distraction that obscures that point.