Bush Announces Members of Intelligence Commission

American Forces Press Service ^ | Feb. 6, 2004 | By Jim Garamone

[Calpernia]

President Bush today announced seven members of an independent commission that will look into U.S. intelligence capabilities.

Bush made the announcement at the White House with the two co-chairs of the commission – former Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb and Judge Lawrence Silberman – flanking him.

The commission will especially study prewar U.S. intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and compare that to what the Iraq Survey Group has found. "We're also determined to make sure that American intelligence is as accurate as possible for every challenge in the future," he said.

Bush said that former Iraq Survey Group chief David Kay "stated that some prewar intelligence assessments by America and other nations about Iraq's weapon stockpiles have not been confirmed. We are determined to figure out why."

Bush said the United States must have accurate intelligence to combat the threats facing the United States and its friends. "The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction poses the most serious of dangers to the peace of the world," Bush said. "Chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists or terror regimes could bring catastrophic harm to America and to our friends. It is the policy of the United States government to oppose that threat by any means necessary."

Rounding out the commission are Arizona Sen. John McCain; Lloyd Cutler, former White House counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton; Rick Levin, the president of Yale University; Adm. Bill Studeman, the former deputy director of the CIA; and Judge Pat Wald, a former judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Bush said the men and women of the U.S. intelligence services are doing a superb job. He said America's enemies are secretive and ruthless. "In tracking and disrupting their activities, our nation must bring to bear every tool and advantage at our command," Bush said.

In Iraq, the president said, the coalition enforced the "clearly stated" United Nations demands that Saddam Hussein prove Iraq had disarmed. Bush said that the losses of Sept. 11, 2001, changed the calculus of terror. "I will not take risks with the lives and security of the American people by assuming the goodwill of dictators," he said.

He said intelligence is an important weapon against terror, and the United States and its allies must stay ahead of a constantly changing enemy. "The stakes for our country could not be higher, and our standard of intelligence gathering and analysis must be equal to that of the challenge," he said.

Bush said the commission members will examine all relevant documents and interview all relevant people, and they will present their findings by March 31.

The commission is not limited to intelligence about Iraq. "It will review our intelligence on weapons programs in countries such as North Korea and Iran," Bush said. "It will examine our intelligence on the threats posed by Libya and Afghanistan before recent changes in those countries."

The commission will expand to nine members in the future, Bush said.

[Calpernia]

Text of President Bush's Announcement of Intelligence Commission, the White House, Feb. 6, 2004

[Calpernia]

Pro Military, Pro Coalition, Pro de-Baathification News!

President Bush today announced seven members of an independent commission that will look into U.S. intelligence capabilities.

Bush made the announcement at the White House with the two co-chairs of the commission – former Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb and Judge Lawrence Silberman – flanking him.

Private Mail to be added to or removed from the GNFI (or Pro-Coalition) ping list.

[Leroy S. Mort]

The Socialists apparantly hate Silberman, so he's probably an ok choice.

[My2Cents]

Does anyone know when Adm. Bill Studeman was deputy director of the CIA? If under Stansfield Turner, this is a horrendous choice. If under William Casey, this is a stellar choice.

[FairOpinion]

I wish he would have included former CIA director Woolsey.

===

"Today, by executive order, I am creating an independent commission, chaired by [former Virginia] Gov. and former Sen. Chuck Robb, [senior] Judge Laurence Silberman, to look at American intelligence capabilities, especially our intelligence about weapons of mass destruction.

In naming this commission -- these men as co-chairmen of the commission -- I'm also naming today Sen. John McCain; Lloyd Cutler, former White House counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton; Rick Levin, the president of Yale University; Adm. Bill Studeman, the former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Judge Pat Wald, a former judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals."

===

What do we know about the various people named?

I hope we don't have some Dem partisans included, whose only objective will be to try to steer the findings to embarrass Bush.

[Khan Noonian Singh]

Under Woolsey.

[pfflier]

The demoncrats will whine because dashole and peelosi were not included.

[My2Cents]

In the Clinton Adm, but the Adm.'s appointment may be as good as having Woolsey on the panel. I know Woolsey wasn't a great reformer of the CIA, but finally left the CIA in disgust over how Clinton neglected the agency. I like the appointment.

[My2Cents]

Note Khan's post. Adm. Studeman was deputy of the CIA under Woolsey, so having him on the panel may be as good as having Woolsey. "Strategery."

[FairOpinion]

Thanks. I didn't realize Studeman was deputy under Woolsey.

That's good. But I don't know anything about the others.

[tcuoohjohn]

Will this commission have subpoena power and a independant budget?

If it does, then it is the real deal.

If it doesn't, it is merely window dressing.

[cyberwatcher]

Chuck Robb- LBJ's son-in-law. Hmmm, this is rather Warrenesque.

[tellw]

Lloyd Cutler's a good man. Even though he worked for Carter and Clinton he served as a witness on behalf of Robert Bork for the Supreme Court back in 1987. All in all I think Bush picked a very classy group of individuals for this panel.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[windchime]

"I wish he would have included former CIA director Woolsey."

He still has two open slots on the commission, FO. I like Woolsey a lot, but the dems would howl to high heaven if he were named to the commission. Jay Rockefeller, Senate 'Intelligence' Committee, made a snide remark yesterday about the possibility of Woolsey being appointed.

I suspect Woolsey knows too much. Anyway, I hope the group addresses a time period which would include Woolsey's tenure at the CIA. That would preclude his participation.

As far as the members appointed so far, there are too many lawyers, academics and dems for me to feel comfortable about their objectivity.

[FairOpinion]

I am very concerned about the people on the panel, upon readig more about who they are. They don't sound like people who even have the expertise to look into it.

"Appearing briefly in the White House press room yesterday afternoon, Bush took no questions but read a statement saying he had decided on two co-chairs for the commission, former Democratic Virginia Gov. and Sen. Charles Robb, a lawyer who is the son-in-law of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Laurence Silberman, a former Justice Department official in the Republican administrations of Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford, who is now a federal appellate judge. Both men flanked Bush in the press room in the hastily convened event but did not answer questions.

Others who have agreed to serve on the year-long commission, Bush said, are Lloyd Cutler, who was White House general counsel in the Democratic administrations of Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; Patricia Wald, a former federal judge who most recently served on the International Tribunal investigating war crimes in the former Yugoslavia; Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, a rival of Bush in the 2000 GOP primaries; Adm. William Studeman, a former CIA deputy director; and Yale University President Richard Levin, a specialist on the economics of technical change."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04038/270329.stm

[windchime]

Although I also have reservations about some of the individuals appointed, I trust President Bush's judgement.

There are already what, 6 or 7 investigative groups? This commission is to look into U.S. Intelligence capabilities and will study what was found before the Iraq war and compare that to what was actually found by the Iraq Survey Group.

Perhaps their experience and analytical skills are what prompted their selection (in addition to making a statement of bipartisanship). If this is the case, it doesn't seem that a working knowledge of intelligence gathering methods would be necessary. It would just would require an ability to assess the logic of interpretations and connections made with that intelligence by the agencies and administration officials involved. I see it as sort of an evaluation of 'how' and 'if' the dots were connected and where those connections can be improved.

Just a guess on my part. We'll see what happens.

[radu]

The Dims are already whining and screaming.....but they're gonna do that no matter what. *sigh*