On Sunday's "60 Minutes" former DCI George Tenet speaks out strongly about how his "slam dunk" remark was taken out of context and how he was made into the WMD scapegoat. Tenet's new book, At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA, is due out on April 30. Hopefully sparks will fly -- it's about time we re-examine the pre-war lies.

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TENET: I remember picking up the phone and calling Andy Card, who is a terrific human being and somebody I've always trusted...[...] Hi, Andy. I said, you know, we believe -- I believed that he had weapons of mass destruction and now what's happened here is, is you've gone out and made me look stupid. It's the most despicable thing I've ever heard in my life. Men of honor don't do this.

UPDATE: Oversight Committee Invites Former CIA Director to Testify...



(transcript below the fold...)

BLITZER: Former CIA Director George tenet is blasting the Bush administration. He says it made him a scapegoat for the war in Iraq, ruined his reputation, and ended his career. Tonight CBS News is releasing more excerpts from the Tenet interview that will air on "60 Minutes." At issue here a remark Tenet acknowledges he made in a reference to weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He said and I'm quoting now -- "it's a slam-dunk case".

According to CBS, Tenet says he doesn't believe that a slam-dunk comment influenced President Bush's decision to go to war. But he says that's the message that was sent when his remarked was leaked to the journalist Bob Woodward. Tenet says he was taking out of context and he complained to the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE TENET, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: I remember picking up the phone and calling Andy Card, who is a terrific human being and somebody I've always trusted...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President's chief of staff at the time.

TENET: President's chief of staff -- Hi, Andy. I said, you know, we believe -- I believed that he had weapons of mass destruction and now what's happened here is, is you've gone out and made me look stupid. It's the most despicable thing I've ever heard in my life. Men of honor don't do this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Men of honor don't do this.

TENET: You don't do this. You don't throw people overboard. You don't call do this -- you don't call somebody in. You work your heart out. You show up every day. You're going to throw somebody overboard just because it's a deflection. Is that honorable?

It's not honorable to me. OK and that's how I feel. Now had it happened and who orchestrated it and what happened, you know, at the end of the day the only thing that you have is trust and honor in this world. It's all you have. All you have is your reputation built on trust and your personal honor. When you don't have that anymore, well you know there you go. Trust was broken.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Between you and the White House.

TENET: You bet. You bet.