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Mr Negroponte has been ambassador to the UN and
to Iraq(Agencies) |
President
George W Bush has nominated John Negroponte as the first US director of
national intelligence.
Mr Negroponte, a career diplomat, is currently the US ambassador to
Iraq.
The commission which investigated the failure to foresee the 2001
attacks recommended one person be put in charge of all US intelligence
operations.
The intelligence director will oversee all 15 US intelligence agencies,
including the CIA and FBI, but some have warned the job lacks real powers.
Announcing the nomination, Mr Bush said the job was
a vital part of US
counter-terror operations.
John understands America's global intelligence needs because he has
spent the better part of his life in the nation's foreign service
"If we are going to stop the terrorists before they strike, we have to
ensure that the intelligence agencies work as a single unified
enterprise," Mr Bush said.
He praised Mr Negroponte's credentials for the job.
"John understands America's global intelligence needs because he has
spent the better part of his life in the nation's foreign service."
Accepting the nomination, Mr Negroponte said it would be "undoubtedly
the most challenging assignment I have undertaken in more than 40 years of
government service".
Mr Negroponte will take primary responsibility for delivering the
president's daily intelligence briefing, Mr Bush said - and will set
budgets for the intelligence agencies.
Mr Bush admitted that Mr Negroponte might have difficulty wresting
control of military intelligence from the Pentagon - which controls 80% of
the US intelligence budget.
President Bush signed a law creating the post in
December, in the most comprehensive overhaul
of US spying operations in 50 years.
Critics had begun to complain that the
post had remained vacant for too long.
There have been reports that a number of candidates had turned the job
down - and former CIA head Robert Gates has said publicly that he did so.
A former senator told the New York Times the job was an unenviable one.
"Your successes will remain secret, while your mistakes will all be
public," former Senator David Boren told the newspaper.
Mr Negroponte became US ambassador to Iraq in July, after having been
his country's envoy to the United Nations.
There has reportedly been little discussion of who will replace him in
Baghdad.
Mr Negroponte's nomination must be confirmed by the Senate before he
takes office.
Mr Bush nominated National Security Agency Director Lt Gen Michael
Hayden to be Mr Negroponte's deputy.
(BBC) |