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Bush Orders the CIA To Hire More Spies
Washington Post ^ | November 24, 2004 | Walter Pincus and Dana Priest

Posted on 11/24/2004 6:21:18 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

President Bush has ordered CIA Director Porter J. Goss to increase by 50 percent the number of qualified CIA clandestine operators and intelligence analysts, an ambitious step that would mean the hiring and training of several thousand new personnel in coming years.

Bush also ordered the doubling of CIA officers involved in research and development "to find new ways to bring science to bear in the war on terrorism, the proliferation of WMD [weapons of mass destruction] and against new and emerging threats." In the presidential order, dated Nov. 18 and released by the White House yesterday, Bush also called for a 50 percent increase in the number of CIA officers proficient in "mission-critical languages" such as Arabic.

The directive comes as the CIA is under intense scrutiny and in a period of transition under Goss's new leadership, and as the administration is under pressure to show progress in addressing the shortcomings documented by the Sept. 11 commission this summer. Last week Congress was unable to agree on details of legislation to dramatically reorganize the U.S. intelligence community.

In addition to calling for such a reorganization, the 9/11 commission had also urged strong increases in the number of clandestine officers, intelligence analysts and language specialists, as had the Senate and House intelligence committees.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: bush43; cia; ciareform; intelligence; intelligencereform; spieslikeus
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1 posted on 11/24/2004 6:21:18 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

They'll have to raise pay to attract better than they've got.


2 posted on 11/24/2004 6:27:44 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

This is a definite step in the right direction. Electronic intelligence is great, but nothing can replace actual human intelligence, human assets, whether they are honorable correspondants or plain agents ran by your intelligence services.


3 posted on 11/24/2004 6:38:30 AM PST by Atlantic Friend (Cursum Perficio)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Bush Orders the CIA To Hire More Spies

If I was a spy, I would advertise it in the newspaper to get chicks.

4 posted on 11/24/2004 6:39:11 AM PST by Lazamataz ("Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown" -- harpseal)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Memo to the CIA:Quit hiring liberal Ivy Leaguers. Cut your ties with Harvard and Yale and go the the top heartland colleges(Rice, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Purdue,etc.) where recruits who really love their country and want to protect it can be found.


5 posted on 11/24/2004 6:41:44 AM PST by Neville72
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To: Lazamataz
If I was a spy, I would advertise it in the newspaper to get chicks.

If I were a spy, -.... a great opener for a series of on-liners.

6 posted on 11/24/2004 6:45:01 AM PST by MarshallDillon (<<<Clickhere to RECALL Austin Mayor WILL WYNN -(a double-taxer).)
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To: Neville72
US News or one of the other weekly news magazines recently ran a salary survey on government jobs like this. $50,000-$55,000 isn't going to get many techs or spooks.
7 posted on 11/24/2004 6:49:16 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

I am bored with my current job. I wonder if I could get into the CIA? Anyone know the requirements?


8 posted on 11/24/2004 6:49:32 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: FlipWilson; All
a slightly related topic
does anyone know if there are any good online foreign service exam practice tests? my wife and i were discussing it the other night (not as a career, just what the test might be like) and we wondered how we'd do. i've seen the gov't sites where you can order test materials and study materials but nothing accessible online.
9 posted on 11/24/2004 6:56:10 AM PST by freedom moose (has de cultivar el que sembres)
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To: FlipWilson

The article said they were looking for Arabic language speakers, computer techs and people who wouldn't mind risking their lives.


10 posted on 11/24/2004 6:57:03 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Well, the first thing Bush should ask Goss to do is eliminate the requirement that one must have a bachelor's degree to get in. Second, it's best to hire people on the fringe again. Intelligence used to be a dirty job done by street-saavy people who didn't have nothing to lose. Now it's done by by-the-book schmucks who are more interested in a career than getting their hands dirty.


11 posted on 11/24/2004 7:01:13 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (EEE)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Then sign me up. I am willing to risk someone's life. Hell, if Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd can do it. . .


12 posted on 11/24/2004 7:02:52 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: FlipWilson
Dangit! They are under cover! You should know enough to use their code names:
Emmett Fitz-Hume
Austin Millbarge
13 posted on 11/24/2004 7:12:21 AM PST by akorahil (MSM is RIP)
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To: MarshallDillon

If I had a hammer...


14 posted on 11/24/2004 7:23:09 AM PST by gov_bean_ counter
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Wheee Doggies....Now Hiring...."Double Naught" Spize

15 posted on 11/24/2004 7:31:59 AM PST by joesnuffy ("The merit of our Constitution was, not that it promotes democracy, but checks it." Horatio Seymour)
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To: FlipWilson

Requirements? Can you fog up a mirror?


16 posted on 11/24/2004 7:33:39 AM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: TapTheSource

FYI


17 posted on 11/24/2004 7:49:30 AM PST by hedgetrimmer
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

We have a young family friend who wanted to join the CIA. He was turned down, probably because he's a straight arrow, I suspect.

I hope that before they start hiring Porter Goss does a thorough cleanout of the hiring committee. Otherwise it will be business as usual, which is to say they will hire clones of themselves, more Ivy League liberals.


18 posted on 11/24/2004 7:55:10 AM PST by Cicero (Nil illegitemus carborundum est)
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To: hedgetrimmer

Thanks....this should be interesting!!!


19 posted on 11/24/2004 8:22:42 AM PST by TapTheSource
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Good move by Bush....again.


20 posted on 11/24/2004 8:23:36 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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