Republican sees problems with likely Bush CIA pick (Rep. Pete Hoekstra, MI)

Reuters ^ | May 7, 2006 | None attributed

[prairiebreeze]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The general considered the Bush administration's likely choice to become CIA director would be the "wrong person at the wrong place at the wrong time," the Republican head of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Sunday.

Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the National Security Agency, has been widely cited in the media as the President George W. Bush's expected pick to lead the CIA following the ouster of CIA director Porter Goss.

"We should not have a military person leading a civilian agency at this time," Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, told "Fox News Sunday."

He said the Department of Defense, which has its own intelligence agencies, had been the biggest opponent to intelligence reform and that there were continuing tensions between the CIA and the Defense Department.

"I think putting a general in charge, regardless of how good Mike is, putting a general charge is going to send the wrong signal to the agency here in Washington but also to our agents in the field around the world," Hoekstra said.

"The bottom line: I do believe he is the wrong person at the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.

He said the perception would be that the CIA was under the sway of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Hoekstra said the White House had discussed several possible candidates with him, and his views on Hayden would not be a surprise to the Bush administration.

[prairiebreeze]

Part of the President's approval ratings, (which must be taken with a grain of salt to begin with considering the agenda-driven manipulation of polls) are due to Republicans not standing publically firm with him on many issues.

This isn't the full reason of course, but the Pubs in congress haven't been nearly as vocally supportive as I'd like to have seen them, especially during a time of war.

[Common Tator]

Hoekstra said the White House had discussed several possible candidates with him, and his views on Hayden would not be a surprise to the Bush administration

Didn't we determine the biggest problem in intelligence was the various agencies did not share information?

If a military man takes over the CIA then is it not likely the CIA will now at long last cooperate with the Defense department and vice versa? They might both even cooperate with the state department as well.

This house dude is just angry that someone who would illegally leak to him was not selected.