[Mb-civic] Bush nominates new CIA director BBC

[Michael Butler]

 Bush nominates new CIA director
 US President George W Bush has chosen Congressman Porter Goss to be the new
director of the CIA.

 Mr Goss, a Republican who heads the House of Representatives intelligence
committee, must gain Senate approval.

 Several Democrats condemned the choice of a Republican, though presidential
candidate John Kerry was more cautious.

 The move comes after a bi-partisan panel highlighted intelligence failures
ahead of the 11 September 2001 attacks, and recommended wide-ranging
reforms.

 'Right man' 

 Mr Goss, 65, is a former officer with US army intelligence and the CIA.

 He represents a Florida district and has served in Congress since 1989.

 PAST CIA DIRECTORS
 George Tenet, 1997-2004
 John Deutch, 1995-1996
 James Woolsey, 1993-1995
 Robert Gates, 1991-1993
 William Webster, 1987-1991
 William Casey, 1981-1987
 Stansfield Turner, 1977-1978
 George Bush Sr, 1976-1977

 
 Announcing the appointment on Tuesday, Mr Bush said Mr Goss was the "right
man" to head the agency.

 "Porter Goss is a leader with strong experience in intelligence and in
fighting against terrorism," he said.

 Mr Goss said he was looking forward "to the challenges of the future".

 He is due to replace former director George Tenet, who stood down, citing
personal reasons, before the commission investigating the 11 September
attacks issued its report.

 The panel blamed intelligence bodies, including the CIA, for failing to
predict or avert the hijackings.

 'A mistake' 

 Winning confirmation in the Senate for Mr Goss may not be straightforward,
correspondents say.

 Some senior Democrats have voiced reservations at Mr Bush's choice. Senator
Jay Rockefeller, vice-chairman of the Senate 9/11 commission, said picking a
partisan candidate was "a mistake".

 "Having independent, objective intelligence going to the president and the
Congress is fundamental to America's national security," he said.

 CIA FACTFILE
 Established by the National Security Act of 1947
 Based in Langley district of McLean, Virginia
 Overseen by Congress
 Budget and employees numbers classified in interest of national security
 Last released budget for all US government intelligence activities in 1998
was $26.7bn

 Source: CIA 
 Former CIA chief Stansfield Turner, who is backing John Kerry in November's
presidential election, called it "a terrible appointment".

 Mr Kerry himself was more cautious, calling only for confirmation hearings
to get under way quickly.

 He urged the president to adopt all the findings of the 9/11 commission,
especially the appointment of a national security director.

 "We need to move urgently on this and other recommendations by the 9/11
commission to make America safer," he said.

 US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he broadly supported the idea of
a new director, but warned against rushing to shake up the intelligence
services without proper consideration of the consequences.

 The BBC's Dan Griffiths in Washington says it is not clear yet whether a
significant number of Democrats in the Senate support Senator Rockefeller's
views and are likely to oppose Mr Goss' appointment.

 But if they do, it will leave President Bush in a difficult position, he
says, facing a tough congressional battle only months before America goes to
the polls.
 Story from BBC NEWS:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3551854.stm

 Published: 2004/08/10 22:36:16 GMT

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