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

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

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 432 ratings · 78 reviews

In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the Iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and gripping, "At the Center of the Storm" recounts George Tenet's time at the Central Intelligence Agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world d...more In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the Iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and gripping, "At the Center of the Storm" recounts George Tenet's time at the Central Intelligence Agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world during the most challenging times in recent history. With unparalleled access to both the highest echelons of government and raw intelligence from the field, Tenet illuminates the CIA's painstaking attempts to prepare the country against new and deadly threats, disentangles the interlocking events that led to 9/11, and offers explosive new information on the deliberations and strategies that culminated in the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Beginning with his appointment as Director of Central Intelligence in 1997, Tenet unfolds the momentous events that led to 9/11 as he saw and experienced them: his declaration of war on al-Qa'ida; the CIA's covert operations inside Afghanistan; the worldwide operational plan to fight terrorists; his warnings of imminent attacks against American interests to White House officials in the summer of 2001; and the plan for a coordinated and devastating counterattack against al-Qa'ida laid down just six days after the attacks.

Tenet's compelling narrative then turns to the war in Iraq as he provides dramatic insight and background on the run-up to the invasion, including a firsthand account of the fallout from the inclusion of "sixteen words" in the president's 2003 State of the Union address, which claimed that Saddam Hussein had sought to purchase uranium from Africa; the true context of Tenet's own now-famous "slam dunk" comment regarding Saddam's WMD program; and the CIA's critical role in an administration predisposed to take the country to war. In doing so, he sets the record straight about CIA operations and shows readers that the truth is more complex than suggested in other versions of recent history offered thus far.

Through it all, Tenet paints an unflinching self-portrait of a man caught between the warring forces of the administration's decision-making process, the reams of frightening intelligence pouring in from around the world, and his own conscience. In "At the Center of the Storm," George Tenet draws on his unmatched experience within the opaque mirrors of intelligence and provides crucial information previously undisclosed to offer a moving, revelatory profile of both a man and a nation in times of crisis.(less)

Hardcover, 576 pages

Published April 30th 2007 by Harper (first published 2007)

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Aug 07, 2007 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Politicos/Non-Politicos

I like George Tenet. He has a tough-guy New York accent and there's a picture of him in the book with a leather jacket on looking like he's really giving it to Andrew Card. Personally, I have no special strong feelings for George Bush, either way. But, when it comes down to finger-pointing (which, yes it has for a while now), Tenet wasn't a Bush Man---Clinton appointed him--and I think, in a lot of ways, that gives him a lot of credibility as far as believing what he has to say in this book. He...more I like George Tenet. He has a tough-guy New York accent and there's a picture of him in the book with a leather jacket on looking like he's really giving it to Andrew Card. Personally, I have no special strong feelings for George Bush, either way. But, when it comes down to finger-pointing (which, yes it has for a while now), Tenet wasn't a Bush Man---Clinton appointed him--and I think, in a lot of ways, that gives him a lot of credibility as far as believing what he has to say in this book. He wasn't totally wet behind the ears when 9/11 rolled around like most of the Bushies, and so in a lot of ways (yeah, again), his CYA (Cover Your Ass, which it's sort of undeniable this book is) has a lot more resonance for me. The fact of the matter is that unless Iraq miraculously turns itself around, there's going to be a lot of CYA coming out of the Bush administration as they, like Tenet, move from policy-making to history-writing. In addition to the fact that Tenet wasn't a Bush Man to begin with, his being the head of the CIA lends him more credibility, as the CIA is more of a technocratic, fact-finding organization than a policy-making organization (though that is debatable). The DOD should be a technocratic fact-finding org. too, but the fact is that during Bush Jr., it was staffed with the finest the American Enterprise Institute had to offer (read: the much maligned 'neo-cons'). And if half of what people, including Tenet, have to say about guys like Doug Feith, Richard Perle, and Paul Wolfowitz, along with Cheney and Rummy and their coteries, basically railroading the rest of Bush admin. into the Iraq War, then Tenet's CYA, again, has a lot more traction than whatever will come out of, for example, Rumsfeld's or Wolfowitz's corners (which, to tell you the truth, if they write memoires any time in the next decade, I'll be surprised.).

Anyway, I didn't read this book because I'm "totally interested in knowing what really happened in the weeks in months building up to 9/11," but more because I like political memoires or books by guys who really were at the center of the proverbial storm (check Woodward and Bernstein's book The Final Days for a starting point). Anyway, this book was in many ways, a Real Page Turner for me. I didn't want to put it down. I think the CIA is fascinating. I think that Tenet's book is probably the closest you're going to get to the "real story" behind what went down behind the curtain during Bush. You get a real read on some personalities, etc. Moreover, according to Tenet, a lot of the contretemps and "mistakes" have more to do with the inevitable complications of navigating and maneuvering within huge bureacracies rather than some concerted effort to mislead, which is, for me, totally believable (eg., the whole Niger Delta/Iraq/yellowcake/State of the Union Address gaffe). I'd like to go into to detail but there's really too much to say (though I will say that nothing in here really surprised me.). It is what it is. Check it out for yourself. Until Colin Powell writes his book or (gasp!) maybe Condoleeza Rice or someone else closer to Bush (maybe even Bushy himself!) decides to write their political memoires (or maybe even after), this book is about the best thing you're going to get as far as an insider's account. Morever, as I wrote earlier, I'm more inclined to believe Tenet than I would be Rice, or Rummy or pretty much anyone besides George Tenet. So, this book just might be the best thing you'll get if you want know what went on in the Executive Branch, 2001-2005.(less)

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Aug 02, 2007 Aaron Crossen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics, memoirs

An enjoyable book with some valuable insight into the workings of the administration from a high ranking official. Naturally, the book focuses intensely on the CIA's doings before and after 9/11 and the Iraq War. As should be expected, the agency comes off as an fiercely independent, highly analytical and utterly indispensible service to the American people. And, surprisingly enough, Tenet is pretty convincing. The operations and officers of the agency came off as serious – these guys really wan...more An enjoyable book with some valuable insight into the workings of the administration from a high ranking official. Naturally, the book focuses intensely on the CIA's doings before and after 9/11 and the Iraq War. As should be expected, the agency comes off as an fiercely independent, highly analytical and utterly indispensible service to the American people. And, surprisingly enough, Tenet is pretty convincing. The operations and officers of the agency came off as serious – these guys really want to protect the U.S., and were driving themselves insane before AND after 9/11 trying to do so.

The first couple of parts deal largely with the CIA's anti-terror operations and Tenet's indepartmental struggles to get the CIA in a position to combat the terror threat. The last part of the book deals with the CIA's role in the buildup and execution of the Iraq war. Tenet defends the CIA's intelligence, arguing that the estimates and reports delivered to members of Congress and of the administration was abused, and there were numerous attempts for the administration to affect the content of intelligence estimates. Douglas Feith, in particular, comes off as a complete fucking moron, concocting outrageous 'intelligence' estimates in the basement of the White House suited only for political needs, and not practical ones. The gaping differences between the analysis of the CIA and the administration's pretext for invading Iraq is well-documented, useful, and believable.

Severely lacking in this memoir is a personality. The text is lively and very readable, but somewhat predictable. The entire time, I was very much aware of the fact that I was reading George Tenet's book - a better recollection, such as Dick Clarke's, will completely involve you in the text. Tenet also adamantly refuses to wax philosophic - I had no idea what kind of human being I was dealing with. I mean, his actions indicated that he's obviously a pretty well-intentioned fellow, but I could find no semblance of a worldview or a set of shaping principles that would more fully flush out his character. In short, I had no idea what this guy was fighting for; what he loved or cared about. What ideas motivated him. Perhaps this is what made him such a successful intelligence officer. But it doesn't make for great reading, although the insight into the workings of government is, as it usually is, illuminating.

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Mar 04, 2009 Bruce rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having served as Director of Central Intelligence under both Clinton and Bush 43, George Tenet brings a unique perspective to the recent history of U.S. Government policies. The preponderance of his tome deals with the Middle East. Part I covers several incidents regarding the Palestinian/Israeli dispute and some incidents from other parts of the world. The rest of the work provides an interesting background to the activities of the Bush/Cheney/Rove administration in dealing with terrorism and m...more

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Jan 16, 2009 Kathleen Hagen added it

Shelves: 2007-audio-books, 2007-nonfiction

At the Center of the Storm: My Years in the CIA, by George Tenet.
The narrator was Eric Conger, with Tenet himself reading the foreword and afterword. Produced by Harper Audio, and downloaded from Audible.

First, I have to say that I am very glad that George Tenet did not read the entire book aloud, which was something like 20 hours long. George read his parts like orations, slowly, with emphasis and intonation, like a speech. Conger, on the other hand, had a nice reading voice and gave good narra...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Vladimir rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't care about his family. He knows I don't care about his family. Was writing about his family supposed to make me think the head of the CIA is a nice guy? If so, it failed.

There's a lot of info in this book, and maybe its good. But it is wildly glossed in favor of the CIA. He talks about how he always wanted more resources (duh) but seems to have been unable to manage the resources the CIA actually had. He says how important WMD are and how much the CIA tried to stop proliferation, which i...more

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Sep 18, 2011 mohamed mostfa rated it 3 of 5 stars

يطرح الكتاب الكثير من الاسئله ... بالذات حول احداث 11 سبتمبر حيث اوضح بالذات فى الفصل الثامن المعنون ب( انهم قادمن الى هنا ) فطالما توافرت كل تلك الدلائل القويه على ان تنظيم القاعده يحضر لعمل ارهابى كبير ضد امريكا وفى الأغلب ستسخدم فيه الطائرات . فلماذا لم تقم الأداره الامريكيه بأتخاذ اجراء وقائى قوى فى هذا الوقت ؟

كما يشير الكتاب الى التعاون المخابراتى القوى بين المخابرات الامريكيه ونظرائها الاخرين وبالذات الجهاز السعودى. وايضا يعطى الكتاب معلومات عن اسلوب العمل داخل الأداره الامريكيه عموما وال...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Jerome rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cia-sof-afghanistan-2001, iraq-war-2003, bush-administration-memoirs, pre-9-11-counterterrorism, hank-crumpton-cia, cofer-black-cia

This was a VERY interesting read.
His recap of the true nature of Iraqi al-Qaeda links was insightful and a welcome splash of reality to all the neocon Iraqi-al-Qaeda link allegations I came across in Stephen Hayes' Cheney: The Untold Story of the Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President in American History, which incorrectly uses Tenet as a mouthpiece to promote and defend its neocon agenda.
He gives an excellent account of the CIA's pre-9/11 operations against al-Qaeda, and although Gary B...more This was a VERY interesting read.
His recap of the true nature of Iraqi al-Qaeda links was insightful and a welcome splash of reality to all the neocon Iraqi-al-Qaeda link allegations I came across in Stephen Hayes' Cheney: The Untold Story of the Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President in American History, which incorrectly uses Tenet as a mouthpiece to promote and defend its neocon agenda.
He gives an excellent account of the CIA's pre-9/11 operations against al-Qaeda, and although Gary Berntsen in Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander severely criticizes Tenet for being a lax, stupid DCI who was hellbent on downsizing the operations directorate, that is not true at all.
One of the reasons I checked this out was because I'm intensely interested in the 2001 portion of the war in Afghanistan, and Tenet's chapter "Into the Sanctuary" doesn't disappoint. The inner workings of the CIA are very interesting. He also does an excellent job of covering his ass.
The CIA has always been an interesting organization to study, and I believe that one of the reasons why it is criticized for intelligence "failures" so much is because few people really know how it works.
Also amusing were Tenet's many awkward cultural interactions with foreign officials.
Occasionally, though, Tenet jumps all over the place, but this doesn't hamper the story that much.
I don't think he does a good job describing the CIA' operations in Iraq, though.
Also, if you've read Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, then Tenet's account of the failings of postwar Iraq, "Mission Not Accomplished" isn't going to be news, you can just skip over that.
*Also, the first chapter, Tenet claims he had a conversation with Richard Perle on September 12, but Perle was in France at the time.
*He characterizes Tina Shelton as a naval reservist, but she was actually a DIA analyst with 20 years' experience.
(The Weekly Standard was a little annoyed by his correct analysis of Iraqi al-Qaeda linkages and fair portrait of Richard Clarke and Bill Clinton, so they pointed this out, apparently to lower Tenet's credibility)
Also, see Steve Coll's book Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 for a good and fair portrait of Tenet.(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Casey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not an enjoyable book.

The book focuses intensely on the CIA's doings before and after 9/11 and the Iraq War and its indispensability to the American public via its work. Minor hope was produced with the inclusion of some valuable insight into the workings of the administration from a high ranking official. Severely lacking in this memoir is a personality and in-depth edification as to what the CIA does. Albeit the nature of intelligence is covert, but I was hoping to walk a way with more in-dept...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the Iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and gripping, "At the Center of the Storm" recounts George Tenet's time at the Central Intelligence Agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world during the most challenging times in recent history. With unparalleled access to both the highest echelons of government and r...more In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the Iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and gripping, "At the Center of the Storm" recounts George Tenet's time at the Central Intelligence Agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world during the most challenging times in recent history. With unparalleled access to both the highest echelons of government and raw intelligence from the field, Tenet illuminates the CIA's painstaking attempts to prepare the country against new and deadly threats, disentangles the interlocking events that led to 9/11, and offers explosive new information on the deliberations and strategies that culminated in the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Beginning with his appointment as Director of Central Intelligence in 1997, Tenet unfolds the momentous events that led to 9/11 as he saw and experienced them: his declaration of war on al-Qa'ida; the CIA's covert operations inside Afghanistan; the worldwide operational plan to fight terrorists; his warnings of imminent attacks against American interests to White House officials in the summer of 2001; and the plan for a coordinated and devastating counterattack against al-Qa'ida laid down just six days after the attacks.

Tenet's compelling narrative then turns to the war in Iraq as he provides dramatic insight and background on the run-up to the invasion, including a firsthand account of the fallout from the inclusion of "sixteen words" in the president's 2003 State of the Union address, which claimed that Saddam Hussein had sought to purchase uranium from Africa; the true context of Tenet's own now-famous "slam dunk" comment regarding Saddam's WMD program; and the CIA's critical role in an administration predisposed to take the country to war. In doing so, he sets the record straight about CIA operations and shows readers that the truth is more complex than suggested in other versions of recent history offered thus far.

Through it all, Tenet paints an unflinching self-portrait of a man caught between the warring forces of the administration's decision-making process, the reams of frightening intelligence pouring in from around the world, and his own conscience. In "At the Center of the Storm," George Tenet draws on his unmatched experience within the opaque mirrors of intelligence and provides crucial information previously undisclosed to offer a moving, revelatory profile of both a man and a nation in times of crisis.(less)

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May 09, 2011 Intikhab rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's an interesting and informative book worth reading more than once. The title seems apt as the author remained head of the CIA from 1997 to 2004 - first under the Democrats and later in the Bush Administration. So much happened during his stint as the head of CIA, including missile attack on Osama bin Laden's training camps in Afghanistan in August 1998 and terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in September 2001. The unearthing of Dr. A.Q.Khan's network of nuclear proliferators and CIA...more

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Sep 04, 2010 Eat5hams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: keeper-to-buy

This was an amazing book. It was great to hear a (usually) level-headed description of what was going on in the intelligence committee during the crazy times leading up to and after 9/11. Tenet did a great job of laying out his perspectives on all the relevant issues and happenings without it seeming dry at all. I could feel his frustrations with the media, political finger pointing, and the various levels of infighting that happen between the organizations that make up the government. For anyon...more

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Jun 14, 2010 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Interesting in parts but dry in parts... still was a good reminder of recent events in the intelligence world of the U.S., although I took a lot of it with a grain of salt. It was interesting reading about Tenet complaining about how Bob Woodward portrayed him in his book "Plan of Attack", which I read a long time ago and have on my bookshelf - so I took it down and read about the same events from the different perspectives. I also enjoyed some anecdotes about how at times during interrogations,...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having read many books by or about military generals, politicians, and pundits, this was my first book from the intelligence community. The point that strikes me the hardest, which was not a point of the book, is that while politicians usually lie to save face those in the intelligence community lie to preserve a larger truth. In other words, their intentions are more honorable, which was not something I expected to learn from the book.

George Tenet is very candid about his own successes and shor...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-history-modern

George Tenet in his book At the Center of the Strom takes readers through his time as Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). At the time this position included the running of the CIA, being responsible for coordinating information from all intelligence agencies and being the primary supplier of intelligence information to the president. The book is written in a very straight talk manner and is easy to follow. Tenet who served an abnormally long tenure through two presidents as DCI made several...more George Tenet in his book At the Center of the Strom takes readers through his time as Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). At the time this position included the running of the CIA, being responsible for coordinating information from all intelligence agencies and being the primary supplier of intelligence information to the president. The book is written in a very straight talk manner and is easy to follow. Tenet who served an abnormally long tenure through two presidents as DCI made several contributions to defining the way we approach the war on terror. The start of the war in Afghanistan was primarily a CIA directed effort and much of the thinking on how to fight terrorism had come in the CIA think tanks prior to 9/11. His story conforms with much that has been written in the 9/11 commission and by books from authors such as Richard Clarke so while not a lot of new things are available for the reader we do receive more confirmation on what likely happened in the months leading up to 9/11 and the day of the event.

There are several nuggets in this book that are new to the readers and provide a great look at what was happening about terrorism during Tenet's 7 year tenure. One is the inside look at the peace process under Clinton and what went wrong with Arafat at the end of 2000. This is largely confirmed by other sources but Tenet tells the story the best. The dismantling of the A. Q. Kahn nuclear network is another great covered gem that provides readers access to one of the more chilling events in U. S. Intelligence history. From tracking down the Pakistani network to the surrendering of Libya's nuclear program the story is worth reading about.

Finally the last third of the book is spent on the war in Iraq and trying to have damage control about the CIA's role. Tenet tries to vigorously defend himself from his "Slam Dunk" comment that gave Colin Powell the information needed to go to the UN to justify war. As of now we still don't have enough accounts but it sounds like these words were used and the strenuous defense Tenet makes was hard to swallow especially when we goes on to say that Powell's presentation was very good and credible. While I have no doubt Tenet did explain the lack of intelligence I am left believing he did make the comment. It is fairly easy to infer that Tenet thought the war in Iraq was a mistake and no steps were taken to plan an exit strategy.

Overall this is a great read that while a little long will hold your interest. Tenet talks straight and addresses a wide range of subjects over a pivotal point in our history. He comes off as more honest and less biased compared to some who have written on this time frame. Finally one of the reasons I always like to read political books like this is not only to get the story at the time but to see what a day in the life of that high government position that few Americans will ever have the chance to hold. Tenet does a great job of showing what life as a DCI was like and how it can impact your family. A great book and one I highly encourage to be read. (less)

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Jun 19, 2010 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: big-picture, power-control, war

A memoir from the guy in charge of the CIA for 7 years, including 2001. I was fascinated to see how much detail he could and did give about the country’s CIA operations. Much of the book is taken up with painstaking “I said/did, the press turned it into…” type recounting of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the later declaration of war in Iraq. The book did give me a good feeling that Tenet was a genuine, bright, principled, straightforward individual and therefore well suited to be director of the...more

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Oct 07, 2008 Will Byrnes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, the-bush-administration, american-history

This is Tenet’s attempt to set the record straight. Of course, he uses the work to buff his resume of accomplishment at the CIA and to defend himself against criticism that the agency fell down on the job in several areas, including a lack of foresight into the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests, and not preventing 9/11. I believe he has a case, certainly, for the latter. It has been written in many places how he was trying to raise the terrorism alarm for a long time before the big event, both...more

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Oct 14, 2008 Rod Hilton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: have-hardcopy, politics, audiobooks

This book starts as a simple biography of George Tenet, director of CIA during part of the Clinton and Bush administrations, but it becomes much more.

Detailing operations at CIA in the years prior to, during, and after 9/11, the book provides valuable insight into a world that the average person simply has to access to.

The Good

The book is extremely interesting. George Tenet gives us far more than a tome of facts, he provides an actual narrative where he is the main character. The book talks not...more

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May 02, 2008 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to give it 3 and 1/2 stars, but goodreads wouldn't let me.

Well written and readable. The beginning is slow--when he describes his relationship with his father and some other fluff I mainly skimmed over. Also, the info about the disorganization of the CIA--not riveting. Useful to know I suppose, but not meaty, and not why anyone is reading his book.

Once he moves on to 9/11, terrorism, and Iraq war the book gets interesting. It's a terrific read for gaining insight into the way the vario...more

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Feb 15, 2008 K rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction-historical, biography

Read by the author both beginning and end, the actual book by Arthur Morey, it can be a dry at times. In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the Iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and gripping, George Tenet's At the Center of the Storm is a revealing look at the man at the helm of the most important intelligence organization during the most challenging times in recent history. Beginning with his appointment a...more

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Oct 07, 2007 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Bob Woodward.

Shelves: biography, cia, history, history-politics

I am usually - healthily - suspect of any book written by a former CIA operative or leader. I've read a dozen or so books by former CIA agents and ordinarily it is difficult to tell with any certainty whether the book is sincere, part of a disinformation campaign, part of an active operation, blatant lies to justify misdeeds or outright fantasy. At the Center of the Storm is a little more balanced, though former DCI Tenet does reveal more than a hint of bitterness at how his time in office turne...more I am usually - healthily - suspect of any book written by a former CIA operative or leader. I've read a dozen or so books by former CIA agents and ordinarily it is difficult to tell with any certainty whether the book is sincere, part of a disinformation campaign, part of an active operation, blatant lies to justify misdeeds or outright fantasy. At the Center of the Storm is a little more balanced, though former DCI Tenet does reveal more than a hint of bitterness at how his time in office turned out. As director, Tenet oversaw the CIA during one of its darkest periods: the post-9/11 US intelligence meltdown. He will probably be forever remembered as the pro-war activist he's painted as in Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack, and the now infamous "slam dunk" case Tenet supposedly made to President Bush regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and our ability to prove they existed. Woodward's description of the event seems to imply that Tenet believed there were WMDs in Iraq. Tenet's explanation of the phrase that will set him in history books is that Woodward took the phrase out of context, and that Tenet was speaking in more political terms about how to convince the American people that Saddam's potential WMDs justified a war. "Slam dunk", in this context, wasn't a reference to proof of WMDs in Iraq but was instead a reference to the case that would need to be made to Americans to support the war. Sadly, though, Tenet's credibility is called into question on the first page of the book. As easy as it would be to believe that a neocon civilian warmonger like Richard Perle would suggest that Iraq "had to pay" for 9/11, Tenet's claim that he met with Richard Perle on September 12 of 2001 is a blatant lie as documented evidence in other sources prove that Pearle was in Paris at the time. For his part, Perle confirms that the two men passed each other in a hallway a week later, but denies this conversation ever took place. This pretty much sets the tone for the rest of Tenet's book, and anyone reading it who read the 9/11 Commission Report, Richard Clarke's book, or any other of the numerous books written about 9/11, will find themselves wondering how much of Tenet's tome is complete and utter BS. Tenet clearly has issues with the Bush administration, and this reinforces the perception picked up on by numerous commentators that there is an internal political war between the CIA and the Bush administration. Admittedly, it is difficult to know whose side take in that one... It's hard pin down the "lesser evil". What is most striking about At the Center of the Storm, however, is the complete lack of ideas about how to reform the CIA into a functional intelligence agency - something it clearly hasn't been for sixty years. Final verdict? An interesting read and good for anyone who wants to hear the side of the Director of Central Intelligence during the worst sneak-attack since Pearl Harbor. Otherwise, though, skip this book and read Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner or the 9/11 Commission Report or Richard Clarke's Against All Enemies. If you absolutely have to have a CIA insider's view, then read Burn Before Reading by Jimmy Carter's DCI Stansfield Turner. The fact that I'm fascinated by this stuff is really the only reason the book gets 3 stars from me. If my rating were viewed in terms of whether or not the book rang true, well... there's no negative star rating, unfortunately.

NC(less)

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Jan 01, 2008 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book was interesting but not fascinating. I expected a lot more. I always thought that George Tenet would be an engaging personality but it doesn't come through in this book at all. It's not a biography but more of a book about his CIA career. I still thought it would be more about him and his thinking instead it's more about events. Yes, he does play cover his butt in it but what do you expect? I wanted more insight on how he changed the CIA, his interactions with Congress and th...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars

The slam dunk confession of the former Director for the Central Intelligence Agency. A revealing testimony of the search for the Weapons of Mass Destruction that cost the DCI his job and many others, not to mention the lives of may agents and civilians throughout the globe. A carefully worded declassification factual book that gives some insight in the pressures of the most powerful cloak and dagger public servant in the world.

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Jan 12, 2012 Tristan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ir-foreign-policy, memoir-autobiography, history-us-09-2000s

This was an interesting book. I read it alongside the memoirs of Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleeza Rice; between the three of them, most major issues in President Bush's first term were addressed--usually from three perspectives, which I found helpful. Frequently the three of them were pitted against each other on various sides of the issues surrounding terrorism, Afghanistan and particularly Iraq. These types of disagreements in memoirs are to be expected; I would be shocked if they didn't come up...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Dustin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. While some of this book's stories has been proven to inconsistent details, I still felt like Tenet was trying to be honest about his actions as CIA's director. I did notice that he tried to make himself look really good so their are undoubtedly biased recollections of events. But, I thought it was very intriguing. Some of the stories in the book are riveting too.

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Apr 26, 2013 Bill Lively rated it 3 of 5 stars

Parts of this book were quite interesting. However I found other parts rather boring ... especially those parts where Tenet was saying the mess "was not our fault". I am sure he was correct on many of these "messes", but I grew bored reading the defenses. This is a problem I have found with almost all the books I have read by people who were in various administrations. It seems the primary purpose is to make self look good ... a very human thing to want to do.

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Jan 12, 2011 Brandan rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating insight into the top-secret world at CIA, and the story of the man who led the organization during one of the most challenging times in recent history. I was particularly drawn in by the fact that Tenet reveals some of the incredibly difficult decisions that have to be made and the factors that weigh on those decisions at such a high level of government.

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Mar 30, 2010 Florence rated it 2 of 5 stars

The first hundred pages were slow going. They were dull and sounded like they had been lifted from a journal. But things picked up after 9/11. I think Tenet tried to be honest about the CIA's role in the mythical Iraqi weapons of mass destruction incident, a costly blunder used as an excuse to go to war. But he skipped the discussion on the use of torture except in very general terms and the Abu Graib scandal was missing completely from this book.

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Nov 07, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed knowing the other side of the story that we never heard from the Media. I really liked how he explained the why and what of Oshma Bin Laden, 9/11, the events that lead up to it and after.
I listened to the audio - I think that was better than reading - just because of all the unpronounceable names in the book. I can recommend this book.

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Aug 03, 2011 Matt Henson added it

Should have stood up more to the Bush Presidency...should have taken Condi on...definitely a good patriot and his service is missed. It's a shame how they misconstrued his "slam dunk" comment and the CIA press releases regarding WMD in Niger. Book reads very quickly especially if you've read similar takes on current events.

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Oct 12, 2010 Jesse rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book about a very trying time for our government. Of course, it is very one-sided, which is to be expected in a memoir. Without coming right out and naming names, Tenet makes it clear who he thinks was to blame for the Iraq war/Saddam Hussein WMD fiasco that was publicly blamed on the CIA in general and Tenet himself specifically.

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About George Tenet

George John Tenet was the Director of Central Intelligence for the United States Central Intelligence Agency and is Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Tenet held the position as the DCI from July 1997 to July 2004, making him the second-longest serving director in the agency's history – behind Allen Welsh Dulles – as well as one of the few DCIs to serve...more

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