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George John Tenet
Former CIA Director
Intelligence Chief, WMD Fabrication Enabler, Torture Architect
Overview
George Tenet served as CIA Director from 1997-2004 under both Clinton and Bush. His infamous"slam dunk"assurance to President Bush that Iraq had WMD helped justify the Iraq War. He oversaw massive intelligence failures including missing 9/11 warnings, embraced false intelligence from"Curveball,"approved the CIA torture program, and destroyed evidence of waterboarding. Despite catastrophic failures, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
SLAM DUNK CLAIM: December 2002 Oval Office meeting; told Bush WMD case was"slam dunk"- became symbol of intelligence failure
9/11 INTELLIGENCE FAILURE: CIA missed multiple warnings about imminent attacks despite"hair on fire"warnings
CURVEBALL DEBACLE: Embraced fabricated intelligence from defector"Curveball"about mobile bioweapon labs
CIA TORTURE PROGRAM: Approved and oversaw"enhanced interrogation"including waterboarding, rectal feeding, sleep deprivation
DESTROYED TORTURE TAPES: 92 videotapes of waterboarding destroyed on his watch, evidence destruction
RENDITION PROGRAM: Expanded extraordinary rendition sending suspects to foreign countries for torture
IRAQI WMD FAILURES: Provided false assessments that Iraq had active WMD programs
MEDAL OF FREEDOM: Received highest civilian honor despite catastrophic failures
COVERT ACTION FAILURES: Pre-9/11 CIA missed bin Laden opportunities, failed to share intelligence with FBI
POST-9/11 BLACK SITES: Established global network of secret CIA prisons
Related Investigations (6)
CIA Black SitesHuman Rights Violations
Tier 3
criticalCIA Torture ProgramGovernment Abuse
Tier 1
criticalExtraordinary RenditionGovernment Abuse
Tier 1
criticalGuant\u00e1namo BayMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 2
criticalIraq War LiesMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 1
criticalExtraordinary RenditionHuman Rights Violations
Tier 1
criticalCriminal Charges & Violations
8 documented violations
Rome Statute Article 8(2)(a)(ii)War Crime; Torture program approval and oversight(War Crimes)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(f)Crime Against Humanity; Torture as widespread policy(International)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(i)Enforced Disappearance; Black site detention program(International)
Convention Against Torture Article 1Torture; Direct authorization of torture techniques(International)
Convention Against Torture Article 3Refoulement; Rendition to torture states(International)
18 U.S.C. § 2340ATorture; Authorized waterboarding and enhanced interrogation(Federal)
18 U.S.C. § 1519Destruction of Evidence; Torture tape destruction(Federal)
Geneva Convention III Article 17POW Torture; Authorized illegal interrogation of detainees(International)
Known Associates & Connections
George W. Bush
President, received Medal of Freedom from
Dick Cheney
Vice President, pressure for WMD intel
Condoleezza Rice
NSA, briefed on al-Qaeda threats
Colin Powell
Provided faulty intel for UN speech
Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense, bureaucratic conflicts
Sources & Documentation
6 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- January 5, 1953
- Birthplace
- Flushing, Queens, New York, USA
- Also Known As
- Slam Dunk Tenet, DCI
Education
- •M.I.A., Columbia University School of International Affairs (1978)
- •B.S., Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (1976)
Key Timeline
January 5, 1953
Born in Flushing, Queens to Greek immigrant family
1976
Graduates Georgetown School of Foreign Service
1985-1988
Senate Intelligence Committee staff
1993
Joins Clinton NSC as intelligence director
1995
Becomes CIA Deputy Director
July 1997
Becomes CIA Director
August 1998
Embassy bombings in Kenya, Tanzania
December 1998
Warns of bin Laden threat in daily brief
July 2001
"Hair on fire"meeting about imminent al-Qaeda attack
August 6, 2001
Delivers PDB"Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US"
September 11, 2001
9/11 attacks; massive intelligence failure
September 2001
Approves CIA torture program
2002
Establishes global black site network
December 21, 2002
"Slam dunk"Oval Office meeting
February 2003
Provides intel for Powell UN presentation
March 2003
Iraq War begins based partly on CIA assessments
2004
WMD claims proven false, Curveball exposed as fabricator
June 2004
Resigns as CIA Director
December 2004
Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
2005
Torture tape destruction ordered
2014
Senate Torture Report documents CIA abuses under his tenure