US President George W. Bush has picked air force General Michael Hayden to head up the CIA. As the replacement to Porter Goss, who was dismissed on Friday, Hayden will take over where he left off. By my meaning, he was the man in charge of the domestic spying program that hit the headlines recently. There is some discontent at the prospect of a military man being placed in charge of a civilian spy agency.
To balance the CIA between military and civilian leadership, the White House plans to move aside the agency’s No. 2 official, Vice-Admiral Albert Calland III, who took over as deputy director less than a year ago, two senior administration officials said. Other personnel changes also are likely, the officials said, insisting on anonymity because the changes are not ready to announce.
The confirmation process will be fodder for the headlines for sure. This should be an interesting story to follow in the coming days and weeks. The Democrats Senator Joe Biden said it best
Gen. Hayden could leave agents with the impression that the CIA has been “just gobbled up by the Defence Department.â€
[tags]CIA, Bush, General Hayden[/tags]