Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, formerly the principal deputy director of National Intelligenc, has been nominated as the new Central Intelligence Agency director, replacing Porter Goss, who was unceremoniously sacked last Friday.
Hayden seems a highly-qualified candidate to lead the troubled CIA but is he up to the task as the nation's head spook?
He's a successful military intelligence officer who's reached his profession's top ranks and as a 4-Star, he's the most senior military intelligence officer in the U.S. armed forces today. Before becoming PDDNI last spring, he capably led the super-secret, high-tech NSA.
Equally important is Hayden's experience as a senior staff officer at theater commands in Europe and Asia wich is all-important considering how widespread US forces are today, so he knows what kind of intelligence support the likes of Generals Abizaid and Casey need in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hayden, also has the advantage of being seen as apolitical. Having been tapped for top jobs in both the Clinton and Bush administrations, he's likely to be considered a nonpartisan public servant.
Unfortunatly Hayden will face a number of challenges before assuming command at Langley.
Senate Democrats are going to target his involvement with the Terrorist Surveillance Program -- the NSA's controversial, counter-terror wire-tapping effort. In addition, those who revered Goss for the thankless job he was doing at Langley are not happy with his dismissal, so weather he played any part in that or not, Hayden may still take some blame. Hayden also lacks experience in human intelligence; the CIA's core mission area. Although he worked as a defense attaché (an overt intelligence collector) behind the Iron Curtain in Bulgaria, Hayden doesn't have Goss' more extensive clandestine spy creds.
On balance, despite some drawbacks, Hayden makes sense to succeed Goss. It's a vital job. With the United States at war overseas, Iran on the boil and the CIA embattled at home, Hayden -- and the agency -- must deliver the critical intelligence needed to ensure security without fail.
7 comments:
Damn!!! Another job I applied for and didn't get.
Why didn't you go for the job Colonel? You've a CIA t-shirt.
I have the badge too, but babysit a bunch od civillian intel officers? No thanks.
I prefer to do their wetwork when necessary.
Just a shame the 'wetwork' makes you literally wet?
Only when bathing in blood...
Anawer your E-mails man!
I quote "Hayden also lacks experience in human intelligence"
Thank You, Colonel for once again making me laugh!
You only laugh out of ignorance.
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