George Tenet

Tenet, a Democratic appointee whose close relationship to President George W. Bush has helped him survive the intelligence failures, said he was leaving for personal reasons.

Bush said Tenet's deputy, John McLaughlin, would temporarily lead America's spy agency during a period in which Iraq remains unstable and U.S. officials worry terrorists might strike in hopes of influencing the November presidential election.

In a speech to CIA employees, Tenet said June 3, "It was a personal decision and had only one basis in fact: the well-being of my wonderful family, nothing more and nothing less."

Tenet and his agency were strongly criticized for failing to predict and prevent the Sept. 11 attacks. And al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden remains at large.

In May, a panel investigating the attacks criticized the CIA for failing to fully appreciate the threat posed by al-Qaeda before the terrorist hijackings.

The Japan Times Weekly: June 12, 2004
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