[Peace-discuss] Dems' idea of "change," again (II)

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Obama Still Mulling Over CIA/DNI
	10 Dec 2008 01:57 pm

President-elect Barack Obama is still mulling over whom to appoint to his 
intelligence cabinet.

Published reports say Obama is considering Adm. Dennis Blair (ret)., for the 
supervisory post of Director of National Intelligence; As of last week, Blair's 
nomination was not a fait accompli, although he was still in the running, 
sources said; some human rights activists have transmitted their disapproval to 
Obama's team.  Intelligence types who don't have transition connections or 
insider information noted that the name leaked out at the same time as Obama was 
said to be considering Gen. James Jones (Ret.) for the post of national security 
adviser and Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State; when those two announcements 
were formalized, Blair was not introduced as a member of Obama's national 
security team.

Sources said that Ex-Rep. Tim Roemer, a former member of the House Intelligence 
Committee and a participant on key anti-terrorism commissioners, remains a top 
candidate for DNI, although it's not clear whether Roemer wants a government 
job. During the campaign, Roemer was a principal adviser to Obama on 
intelligence matters.

Last week, Roemer told reporters that it "could be" true that he was being 
vetting for a job; Blair told reporters that his appointment "was in the rumor 
stage."

Former CIA deputy executive director John Brennan had been the leading contender 
for the Langley job; he was pressured to withdraw from consideration because he 
was too closely linked to Bush Administration policies. Brennan still serves as 
a co-chair of Obama's intelligence policy review board.

Sources say that Obama's team is having trouble finding a potential CIA director 
who lacks politically incriminating links to controversial Bush Administration 
policies and yet commands the respect of the agency's rank and file.  Potential 
nominees include John Gannon, a Bush era Homeland Security official and 
Clinton-era intelligence officer and Jami Miscik, former chief of the CIA's 
directorate of analysis.  The New York Times reported that New York crisis 
management consultant Jack Devine, a former CIA chief of operations, is also a 
potential candidate.


C. G. Estabrook wrote:
> Dem House Intel Chair Calls for Continuity of Bush Policies, Appointees
> 
> The Democratic chair of the House Intelligence Committee is urging 
> President-elect Obama to retain the Bush administration’s top 
> intelligence officials and some of its most controversial interrogation 
> tactics after taking office. Congress member Silvestre Reyes of Texas 
> says he wants Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA 
> Director Michael Hayden to stay on for at least six months after Obama’s 
> inauguration. On the campaign trail, Obama was critical of the Bush 
> administration’s authorization of torture on prisoners in the so-called 
> war on terror and vowed changes at the nation’s intelligence agencies.
> 
> http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/10/headlines#6
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