Open CIA thread
I’ve been remiss in posting about the debates over who should head the CIA and what it should do, so here’s an open thread. Readers are encouraged, before posting, to read John Crewdson’s dissection in the Chicago Tribune of the bureaucratic conflicts at work behind Porter Goss’ resignation and the Hayden nomination: [A] senior U.S. ...
I've been remiss in posting about the debates over who should head the CIA and what it should do, so here's an open thread. Readers are encouraged, before posting, to read John Crewdson's dissection in the Chicago Tribune of the bureaucratic conflicts at work behind Porter Goss' resignation and the Hayden nomination: [A] senior U.S. intelligence official with firsthand knowledge of events says Goss was dismissed as CIA director after the White House became convinced that strong disagreements with his immediate boss, John Negroponte, were beyond resolution. Those disputes involved changes that Goss feared would limit the agency's scope and influence, undercutting its role in analyzing intelligence. The disagreements, the official said, had been "ongoing for a couple of months" before Goss' departure. In an ironic twist, it was Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, whom President Bush has nominated to fill Goss' position, who began the critical assault on Goss by complaining of his performance to a CIA civilian oversight body. It should be noted that Crewdson's chief source was a Goss loyalist. I tend to agree with Matt Yglesias and Fred Kaplan that Hayden's military status is a nonissue -- though, on the other hand, Amy Zegart does seem exercised about it, and that it reason enough for concern here at danieldrezner.com. Fire away!! UPDATE: This could definitely be a problem for Hayden's confirmation. See Orin Kerr on this point as well.
I’ve been remiss in posting about the debates over who should head the CIA and what it should do, so here’s an open thread. Readers are encouraged, before posting, to read John Crewdson’s dissection in the Chicago Tribune of the bureaucratic conflicts at work behind Porter Goss’ resignation and the Hayden nomination:
[A] senior U.S. intelligence official with firsthand knowledge of events says Goss was dismissed as CIA director after the White House became convinced that strong disagreements with his immediate boss, John Negroponte, were beyond resolution. Those disputes involved changes that Goss feared would limit the agency’s scope and influence, undercutting its role in analyzing intelligence. The disagreements, the official said, had been “ongoing for a couple of months” before Goss’ departure. In an ironic twist, it was Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, whom President Bush has nominated to fill Goss’ position, who began the critical assault on Goss by complaining of his performance to a CIA civilian oversight body.
It should be noted that Crewdson’s chief source was a Goss loyalist. I tend to agree with Matt Yglesias and Fred Kaplan that Hayden’s military status is a nonissue — though, on the other hand, Amy Zegart does seem exercised about it, and that it reason enough for concern here at danieldrezner.com. Fire away!! UPDATE: This could definitely be a problem for Hayden’s confirmation. See Orin Kerr on this point as well.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
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