A wartime resignation

[AmyStrange]

A wartime resignation
Originally published Jun 11, 2004
Jules Witcover

FROM: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-op.witcover11jun11,0,7685192.column?coll=bal-pe-opinion
WASHINGTON - Speculation will continue for a long time on whether CIA Director George J. Tenet jumped or was pushed out of his job as the Bush administration's intelligence chief. Either way, the timing was a commentary on how the nation is fighting the war in Iraq and on terrorism generally.

In President Bush's speech at the dedication of the World War II Memorial, he compared the current conflict with the fight against fascism. But in that one, America went into total mobilization and stayed there for nearly four years. In this one, while Mr. Bush paints himself as a wartime president, he tells us to continue enjoying ourselves as usual.

Even as U.S. troops of the volunteer army in Iraq are being held in service involuntarily past their enlistment, we are informed by the CIA director, tearfully, that he is leaving his critical post to spend more time with his teenage son.

Such is the wartime footing on which this president puts the country. Such a reasoned exit was not likely to have happened in World War II, when Americans - including teenage sons - were drafted by the millions and were required to serve for the duration.

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