CIA in the Crosshairs

"The world is on the edge of eruption," former CIA Director George Tenet recalls as he arranged for an emergency meeting at the White House with National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice on July 10, 2001. Cofer Black, the Director of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center and Rich Blee, accompanied Tenet. Tenet recounts Blee's warning to Rice, "There will be significant attacks against the United States in the coming months." He continued, "Al Qaeda's intention is the destruction of the United States." Black then adds, "This country has got to go on a war footing now," as he slams his hand on the table.

Following the meeting Black tells Blee, "I think we've finally gotten through to these people." But later he realizes that essentially nothing happens. Rice later said she did not recall the meeting and wrote, "My recollection of the meeting is not very crisp because we were discussing the threat every day." Having raised the alert levels for personnel abroad, she added, "I thought we were doing what needed to be done." But on September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda struck a coordinated blow against the United States, killing nearly 3,000 people.

This dramatic episode in the CIA's history is told in detail in the Showtime documentary, "The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs," which will air Saturday night. The program pulls the curtain back on America's most secret agency and sheds light on its successes and failures. Actor Mandy Patinkin, who plays CIA operative Saul Berenson in the series Homeland on Showtime, narrates it.

The Spymasters includes interviews with all 12 living CIA directors and their operatives. They talk about their convictions, "and, for the first time, their passionate disagreements about the agency's past, its current mission, and its future." The documentary lays out the complexities, the growing threat, and the controversies that been laid at the doorstep of the CIA. Did the CIA fail in 2001? Did the White House ignore the CIA's warnings about 9/11? The 9/11 Commission Report, released in July 2004, concluded, "This was a failure of policy, management, capability, and, above all, imagination."

The failure for the U.S. government to keep America safe led to a series of controversial decisions. Rendition was an intelligence-gathering program involving the transfer of foreign nationals suspected of involvement in terrorism to countries for interrogation and detention in "black sites" in countries where U.S. safeguards did not apply. The use of torture, known as the enhanced interrogation program, used techniques like waterboarding, in order to gain crucial information from suspected terrorists. Former director Stansfield Turner says, "I don't think a country like ours should be culpable of conducting torture." Tenet, on the other hand, says the U.S. Justice Department ruled the techniques were not torture, and President George Bush approved them.

Another consequence of the 9/11 attacks is the use of drones to strike back at terrorists. The Pentagon's use of drones is public, but the CIA has never acknowledged it also uses them. Yet President Barack Obama's former CIA Director Leon Panetta recounts a time the CIA had located a "bad man" who was responsible for killing American soldiers in Afghanistan. But the terrorist was with his family, which made the use of a drone strike problematic. "One of the tough questions was what should we do?" Panetta recalled. He said he called the White House and they said, "Look, you're going to have to make a judgment here." Panetta said, "I found I was making decisions on life and death as director, and those decisions are never easy, and frankly they shouldn't be easy." He added, "I thought it was really important in that job to do what I could to protect this country." The CIA struck, "And it did involve collateral damage, but we got him," Panetta concluded.

Following 9/11 the CIA scored an early victory in Afghanistan driving the Taliban out and destroying Al Qaeda's sanctuary, but Osama Bin Laden escaped. This victory was followed by one of America's most controversial wars. "Neither the CIA or any other or any other government agency ever found any evidence that Iraq played any role at all in 9/11," former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell recalled. Yet former Vice President Dick Cheney was speaking out publicly about Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's connection to Al Qaeda. Tenet told the President Bush that Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction was a "slam dunk." The U.S. invaded Iraq and more than a decade later it is still paying the price for this bad decision.

CIA in the Crosshairs is directed by Gedeon and Jules Naudet, who were responsible for the most powerful documentary ever produced of the 9/11 attacks. It is written by Chris Whipple, a skilled investigative journalist, and the executive producer is CBS News' Susan Zirinsky. She is also my wife.

Americans are on edge following the horrifying November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris. Questions are being raised about where the line is drawn between what techniques the CIA can use to defeat the terrorists, especially those that are home grown, and every American's right for privacy. 

Panetta says, "We may have to use these kinds of weapons. But let me tell you something, if we fail to do this, and God forbid this country faced another 9/11, you know what the first question would be, 'Why the hell did you let this happen?'"

Mitt Romney: The Speech

This week the Republican Party will nominate their candidate for President of the United States, Mitt Romney.  And when Romney takes the podium Thursday night to accept his party's nomination he will be delivering the most important speech of his life. 

The Republican presidential primary campaign was brutal, as candidates fought hard for the approval of their party's largely conservative base.  Mitt Romney had to defend his previous moderate leaning tendencies, and his authorship of "Romneycare," the blue print for President Obama's universal health care legislation.   To do so, Romney aggressively attacked his opponents with negative ads, spent a ton of money, and fine-tuned some of his political positions in order to appeal to the GOP right.    

Yet, although Romney won the nomination, most Americans are uncertain about whom he is.  This Thursday night Romney will be introducing himself to America, while, at the same time, he will have to reassure his conservative party base that he can beat President Obama, and he can be trusted not to change his positions on taxes and social issues.

Romney's speech writing team has been hard a work trying to find the right balance.  On one hand, Romney will try to connect with his audience, something he failed to do very well during the primary campaign.  He will try to sound warm and likeable, not stiff and corporate.  He will add some biographical details, including a reference to his wife's ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis.  But also look for Romney to make the case the he should be elected president.  Here he will emphasize his successes as a businessman, governor, and head of the U.S. Olympics Committee, as examples of how he can lead.  

For sure, there will be plenty of quotable one-liners to stir delegates on the convention floor and appeal to the home audience.  Here's one you won't hear: "Watch my lips, no new taxes!"  Here's one you will hear: "President Obama is the only president to cut Medicare."  Of course, the president didn't cut Medicare--but why let the facts get in the way of an applause line.

Romney's speech will not be truly successful if he simply attacks President Obama's record.  He will need to offer independent voters more than the usual talking points: "Cut taxes, cut regulations and become totally energy independent."   Nor can he just simply say, "I have a 59 point plan to save the economy--it's on my website."  

Of course, the devil is always in the details, and Romney's economic plan simply does not add up.   For instance, how can he significantly cut taxes (which mostly benefits the wealthy) and increase defense spending, yet still balance the budget?  It's not possible unless he also massively cuts entitlement programs--like Medicare and Medicaid.  (Enter Representative Paul Ryan?)  So, Mr. Romney, specifically what government programs will you cut to balance the budget?  You owe Americans an explanation.  

Why will cutting taxes create jobs?  The "Bush Tax Cuts" have been in place for a decade, but they have had little impact on the job market, while making the rich even richer.   As part of his tax plan, Romney proposes eliminating tax loopholes, yet he has offered no specifics.   Does he mean offshore tax havens (I don't think so)?  Does he mean home mortgages or charity?   Details Mr. Romney, details? 

Of course, Mr. Romney will promise in his speech to end "Obamacare" to the delight of the floor delegates.  Ironically, he crafted a universal health care law that passed in Massachusetts and relies on an individual mandate, but now opposes the concept.   Mr. Romney, what is your replacement plan?  How will you close the "doughnut hole" on prescription drugs for more than 5.2 million Medicare beneficiaries who have already saved more than $4 billion since Obamacare went into effect? 

Romney has promised to eliminate Planned Parenthood if he is elected president.  Of course, conservatives hate Planned Parenthood because of its association with birth control and abortion.  But Romney is not likely to offer too many details in his speech on abortion, other than, "I believe in the sanctity of life."  Part of the problem is that in the last decade Romney has been pro-abortion, then later anti-abortion, except in the cases of incest and rape.  But the GOP 2012 platform calls for a ban on all abortions, with no exceptions.  

Romney is likely to accuse President Obama of campaign distortions and tarnishing the office of the presidency.  But Romney has been a leading practitioner of negative and misleading ads beginning in the primary.  For instance, most recently a Romney sponsored ad that says, "The president ended a provision requiring welfare recipients to work."  Wrong, but it plays well with blue-collar workers in swing states.  Or a Romney "joke" about his birth certificate.  Don't look for Mitt Romney to denounce the idiotic "Birther" movement from the dais.  

No matter how well Romney performs Thursday--and he should do very well--no mater how enthusiastically he is received, no matter how amazing all the production gimmicks are, there are still many questions that will, pardon the expression, always dog Romney.  He is, after all, extremely private, controlling and ambitious.    

Imagine:  Romney pauses in his speech Thursday to look up toward the heavens. At that point he hears the voice of his father, Governor George Romney, once a Republican candidate for president.  "Release more tax returns Mitt!"  To which he replies, "You're getting two years, and that's it!"

GWB to BHO

Hey Barack,

Welcome back to Washington, sorry about that Blair House situation. But how about the airplane Laura and I sent you, pretty nice, yes?

It's been a remarkable eight years for me. My staff tells me I have left a great legacy. It's all there in those talking points they gave me for my round of exit interviews with the various news organizations.

I thought I would take time away from reading books to offer you some advice. You know, I did read 95 books last year, just ask my book club buddy Karl Rove. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment considering I had so many important issues competing for my time, like the economy, the Iraq War, Russia and Georgia, the annual turkey pardon and my 10pm bedtime. That's lights out at 10pm. A president has to get his rest.

Now as good a legacy as I have as president, I have learned a few lessons I'd like to pass on to you. You know, in the spirit of bipartisanship and all that.

When it comes to the economy, don't get too involved. Let your treasury people handle it. We had record economic growth for seven years and I was totally hands-off. Only recently have problems befallen our great nation, but that was not my fault. It was due to decisions made a decade ago, before I took office. Meanwhile, keep an ear to the ground for someone named Madoff, as in he "made off" with my money, because I hear he's a real fraud.

Give your vice president plenty of running room, especially if you trust him. It always worked real well between Dick Cheney and me. You know, bad cop and good cop. By the way, check to see if Joe Biden hunts.

Be strong on terrorism. Because of my leadership terrorists have not attacked the U.S. since September 11, 2001. Yes terrorism has dramatically increased around the world, but I can only be president of one country at a time. One of the reasons for my success is we have killed or captured all the top Al-Qaeda terrorists. Yep, we really stuck it to them. Using my aggressive approach you should be able to capture bin Laden and al-Zawarhi. I have teed it up for you.

And don't be afraid to suspend individual rights in this country. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson did just that and history has smiled down on them too!

Watch out for those guys in intelligence. They only tell you what you want to hear. Those WMD's were supposed to be a slam dunk. Well, the good news is we got Saddam and liberated Iraq from his tyrannical rule. And now, just five years later, things are so safe for everyone in Iraq that al-Qaeda has moved its training bases there.

Support the democratically elected president in Afghanistan because he's a good guy. Sure his government is somewhat corrupt, but cut him some slack. I mean look at Blagojevich for God's sake. He is more corrupt than any Afghani, and Illinois seems to be doing just fine. No matter, the Afghan economy has been great, even after you take out those booming opium dollars.

Continue to garner worldwide respect by providing food aid for natural disaster relief; I have led in this area. On a related note, should you encounter a disaster in the United States, such as a hurricane, make sure you have someone qualified running disaster relief. Unfortunately, my staff misled me on this a few years ago. But I acted decisively and got rid of those who were responsible for the mistakes.

Don't hesitate to take plenty of down time. It will help you think more clearly, at least that's what it did for me. The results speak for themselves. Maybe we'll have you down to Crawford after you get settled in.

I'd give you more insight but I want to make sure Laura has plenty of material for the new book she is writing. She will soon be the big breadwinner in our family, if you get my drift.

But here are a few simple principles I followed and can share with you.

1. Never apologize.
2. Never look back, only look in front of you.
3. Don't pay attention to your critics.
4. Reward those who tell you what you want to hear.
5. If they are wrong immediately turn on them.
6. Don't ask questions, don't be curious, it may make you look uninformed.
7. Never have any regrets.
8. Never say you're sorry.

It's called survival of the fittest, or politics as usual.

When you are sworn in, to quote Colin Powell in a different context, "you will own it." It will be your recession, your housing crisis, your banking collapse, your do-nothing Congress, your Israeli crisis, your Russian resurgence, your international disaster, your Katrina clean-up.

What do you mean you can't do miracles? That's not what the world thinks. Good luck!

Of course, I checked out a long time ago. But let me leave you with these final words:

Mission accomplished, I'm out of here!

Yours truly,

President George Bush
Dallas, Texas