Intelligence Director Blair Pledges New Approach to Counterterrorism

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January 22, 2009



WASHINGTON — Dennis C. Blair, the retired admiral who is President Obama’s choice as the nation’s top intelligence official, pledged in testimony to be delivered on Thursday that he would require counterterrorism programs to operate “in a manner consistent with our nation’s values, consistent with our Constitution and consistent with the rule of law.”

“The intelligence agencies of the United States must respect the privacy and civil liberties of the American people, and they must adhere to the rule of law,” Mr. Blair said in testimony prepared for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Thursday.

“I do not and will not support any surveillance activities that circumvent established processes for their lawful authorization,” he said in the testimony. “I believe in the importance of independent monitoring, including by Congress, to prevent abuses and protect civil liberties.”

In an unusual comment from a man who will head the most secret agencies of government, he said, “There is a need for transparency and accountability in a mission where most work necessarily remains hidden from public view.” He said that if confirmed, he would “communicate frequently and candidly with the oversight committees, and as much as possible with the American people.”

On the issue of detainee treatment, perhaps the most divisive security issue since 2001, Mr. Blair called torture “not moral, legal or effective” and said any interrogation program would have to comply with the Geneva Conventions, the Convention against Torture and the Constitution.

He said that in addition to backing the military and intelligence operatives in hunting down terrorists, the agencies should support “policymakers who are looking for opportunities to engage and work with Arab and Muslim leaders who are striving for a progressive and peaceful future for their religion and their countries.”


read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23blaircnd.html?pagewanted=print

related:

Text: Statement of Dennis C. Blair (January 22, 2009)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/23blair-text.html?_r=1&ref=politics&pagewanted=print