WP: Experts See a Strategy Behind CIA Shuffle

[kskiska]

General May Help Intelligence Chief Rein in Rumsfeld and His Military Spy Plans

Gen. Michael V. Hayden isn't the first active-duty military officer tapped to lead the CIA -- he is in fact the fifth -- but many intelligence experts and officers have bemoaned the idea of a general leading the agency at a time when the Pentagon is expanding its ability to engage in global spying and man-hunting, traditional realms of the CIA.

Despite such qualms, intelligence specialists say Hayden's appointment may turn out to be a clever move by intelligence czar John D. Negroponte to help him assert authority over Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and his burgeoning intelligence bureaucracy. Negroponte, who by law oversees all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, has expressed frustration that he has not made more progress in managing the agencies under the Defense Department's jurisdiction.

(snip)

The intelligence overhaul that installed Negroponte as a new director of national intelligence also assigned the CIA the role of managing all "human intelligence" -- or spying -- including the collection done by the Defense Department, which many experts believe is trying to break out on its own in this arena.

"The concern about Hayden is not really about Hayden, it's about Rumsfeld and Cheney," said one former senior intelligence officer, referring to Vice President Cheney's strained relationship with the CIA and allegations that he used Pentagon-gathered information on Iraq's weapons because it comported with his personal view on Iraq.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050801616.html

[KoKo]

1. I worry that this is just spin to get Hayden in there.

Something needs to be done about Rummy but putting a guy who authorized illegal spying and always wears a uniform doesn't seem like the best way.

Senator Diane Feinstein was on Matthews saying we needed to get someone in the job quickly. Maybe she's bought that strategy.

[orwell]

2. Negroponte...

...is one to talk about reigning someone in. The guy is a psycho.

This story is just more blather from the WashingCon Post.

Smoke and fricken mirrors...

[struggle4progress]

3. Goss's job was purging independent analysts, replacing them with ..

.. authoritarian loyalists, and restructuring the agency to increase White House control of awkward intelligence. That done, it's now time to muddy the waters ...

[incapsulated]

4. Oh, so Negroponte is going to save us from the evil Rummy?

Who are they fucking kidding? The Death Squad expert, who had Hayden running a secret domestic spying program, is the good guy?

What a bunch of fucking rubbish.

[genieroze]

7. Who is going to save us from him?

[AndyTiedye]

5. He Wants to Integrate the CIA's Information into the NSA Blackmail Web

[alfredo]

6. FOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!!