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Bush: Tenet's Job Is Safe
Saturday, February 07, 2004
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WASHINGTON — President Bush said Saturday that CIA Director George Tenet's (search) job is not in jeopardy despite election-year questions about the accuracy of prewar intelligence on Iraq.
"I strongly believe the CIA is ably led by George Tenet," Bush said in an Oval Office interview to be broadcast Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Asked whether Tenet's job was in jeopardy, Bush answered: "No, not at all, not at all," according to an excerpt of the interview provided by the network.
Bush pledged to cooperate with the commission he set up last week to examine intelligence on Iraq and the spread of weapons of mass destruction (search). "I will be glad to visit with them," the president said. "I will be glad to share with them knowledge. I will be glad to make recommendations, if they ask for some."
Bush also responded to concerns the commission was not required to complete its review until after the presidential election in November. He said the panel needs time to do its work.
"There is going to be ample time for the American people to assess whether or not I made ... good calls — whether I used good judgment, whether or not I made the right decision in removing Saddam Hussein from power," Bush said. "I look forward to that debate."
The interview was Bush's first appearance on the news show.
Bush also has been fending off criticism over the inability of U.S. inspectors to uncover banned weapons in Iraq that intelligence experts said existed when U.S.-led troops invaded in March.
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