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

  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

  Cover

  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).

  WASHINGTON, D. C.

  John Ashcroft, attorney general (2001–2005).

  David Boren, U.S. senator from Oklahoma (1979–1994), president of the University of Oklahoma (1994–), my old boss and mentor.

  George H. W. Bush, Director of Central Intelligence (1976–1977), president of the United States (1989–1993).

  Norm Dicks, U.S. congressman, Washington 6th (1977–).

  Richard Durbin, U.S
. senator from Illinois (1997–).

  Dianne Feinstein, U.S. senator from California (1992–).

  Patrick Fitzgerald, special counsel in the Valerie Plame investigation (2003–2007).

  Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives (1995–1999).

  Porter Goss, U.S. congressman, Florida 13th (1989–1993), Florida 14th (1993–2004), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (1997–2004).

  Robert Graham, U.S. senator from Florida (1987–2005), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

  Richard Haver, civilian intelligence professional.

  James Hoagland, Washington Post columnist.

  Edward Kennedy, U.S. senator from Massachusetts (1962–).

  Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist.

  Michael Ledeen, prominent neoconservative, scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

  Carl Levin, U.S. senator from Michigan (1979–).

  Robert Novak, syndicated columnist.

  Richard Perle, prominent neoconservative, chairman of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee (2001–2003).

  Walter Pincus, veteran intelligence reporter for the Washington Post.

  Pat Roberts, U.S. senator from Kansas (1997–), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

  Jay Rockefeller, U.S. senator from West Virginia (1985–), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

  Janet Reno, attorney general (1993–2001).

  Brent Scowcroft, national security advisor (1974–1977, 1989–1993), chairman of the president’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (2001–2005).

  Richard C. Shelby, U.S. senator from Alabama (1987–), member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (1995–2003).

  Joseph Wilson, U.S. ambassador to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipé (1992–1995).

  Bob Woodward, journalist.

  NEW YORK

  Herbert Allen, investment banker.

  John Negroponte, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2001–2004).

  AFGHANISTAN

  Abdul Haq, member of the Northern Alliance; killed by the Taliban in October 2001.

  Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan (2004–).

  Fahim Khan, a Northern Alliance leader.

  Ahmed Shah Masood, head of the Northern Alliance; assassinated by al-Qa’ida on September 9, 2001.

  Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban.

  Mullah Osmani, commander of the Taliban’s Khandahar Corps.

  IRAQ

  Gen. John Abizaid, Gen. Franks’s deputy.

  L. Paul “Jerry” Bremer, head of Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) (2003–2004).

  Maj. Gen. Keith Dayton, head of Iraq Survey Group.

  Charles Duelfer, former United Nations weapons inspector.

  Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) (2000–2003).

  Retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, director of Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) (March–May 2003).

  David Kay, former United Nations weapons inspector.

  Maj. Gen. Gene Renuart, Gen. Franks’s director of operations.

  Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of Coalition Ground Forces (2003–2004).

  AL-QA ’IDA

  Mohammed Atef, an Egyptian, al-Qa’ida’s number three man; killed in an air strike in Afghanistan in 2001.

  Mohammed Atta, an Egyptian, ringleader of the 9/11 plot; killed on 9/11.

  Kamal Derwish, U.S. citizen, believed to have recruited the “Lackawanna Six” to become al-Qa’ida supporters; killed by a missile strike in Yemen in 2002.

  Hambali, an Indonesian, leader of the Jemaah Islamiya, a Sunni extremist organization based in Southeast Asia; captured in Thailand in 2003.

  Abu Ali al-Harithi, a Yemeni, mastermind of the USS Cole bombing; killed by a missile strike in Yemen in 2002.

  Nawaf al-Hazmi, a Saudi, one of the 9/11 hijackers; killed on 9/11.

  Usama bin Ladin, a Saudi, the leader of al-Qa’ida; still at large.

  Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, senior al-Qa’ida paramilitary trainer in Afghanistan; captured by Pakistani authorities in 2002.

  Abdel al-Aziz al-Masri, an Egyptian, al-Qa’ida’s “nuclear CEO”; reportedly under “house arrest” in Iran.

  Abu Khabab al-Masri, an Egyptian, al-Qa’ida WMD expert; killed by a missile strike in Pakistan in 2006.

  Khalid al-Mihdhar, a Saudi, one of the 9/11 hijackers; killed on 9/11.

  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), a Pakistani, the operational planner of 9/11; captured in Pakistan in 2003.

  Zacarias Moussaoui, French citizen, involved in the 9/11 plot; sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006.

  Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi, implicated in the USS Cole bombing; captured in 2002.

  José Padilla, U.S. citizen, believed to be involved in a possible “dirty bomb” plot; arrested in Chicago in 2002.

  Ahmad Ressam, an Algerian, involved in a plot to bomb Los Angeles Airport; sentenced to twenty-two years in prison in 2005.

  Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a Yemeni, involved in planning the 9/11 attacks; captured in Pakistan in 2002.

  Yazid Sufaat, a Malaysian, suspected of providing operational support to 9/11 hijackers and al-Qa’ida, “CEO of anthrax”; arrested by Malaysian authorities in 2001.

  Ramzi Yousef, nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), involved in planning the 1993 World Trade Center attack; sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996.

  Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, senior al-Qa’ida “associate”; killed in Iraq in 2006.

  Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian, Bin Ladin’s deputy; still at large.

  Abu Zubaydah, a Saudi, al-Qa’ida operations expert; captured in Pakistan in 2002.

  UNITED KINGDOM

  Tony Blair, prime minister of the United Kingdom (1997–).

  Sir Richard Dearlove, head of the British secret intelligence service, MI-6 (1999–2004).

  David Manning, foreign policy advisor to the prime minister (2001–2003).

  MIDDLE EAST

  King Abdullah, king of Jordan (1999–).

  Crown Prince Abdullah, crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

  Prince Bandar, Saudi ambassador to the United States (1983–2005).

  Samih Battikhi, head of the Jordanian Intelligence Directorate.

  King Hussein, king of Jordan (1952–1999).

  Saad Khair, head of the Jordanian Intelligence Directorate.

  Hosni Mubarak, president of Egypt (1981–).

  Prince Naif, Saudi interior minister.

  Prince Mohammad bin Naif, Saudi assistant interior minister; Prince Naif’s son.

  Ali Abdullah Saleh, president of Yemen (1990–).

  Gen. Umar Suleiman, head of the Egyptian intelligence service.