Group Calls for Slowing Intelligence Reform-Bush Had Other Plans In August

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By Walter Pincus and Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39743-2004Sep21.html

Wednesday, September 22, 2004; Page A04

A bipartisan group of former senior Cabinet members, senators and national security officials, including former secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and George P. Shultz, yesterday urged Congress not to rush to pass legislation restructuring the intelligence community based "on an election timetable."

"Intelligence reform is too complex and too important to undertake at a campaign's breakneck speed," the former officials wrote.

Opposition to quick action came yesterday from the two senior senators on the powerful Appropriations Committee -- Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and ranking Democrat Robert C. Byrd (W.Va.) -- and three former senior military officers who had served as commanders in chief of the European, Pacific and Strategic commands.

Byrd called attention to what he described as the "disastrous stampede" that led to passage of the Iraq war resolution and Department of Homeland Security legislation before the 2002 congressional elections. That experience, he said, "should give us sufficient pause to think twice before we attempt to reorganize crucial intelligence activities with one eye on the clock and one eye on the polls."

The group includes former defense secretaries Frank C. Carlucci and William S. Cohen; former CIA director Robert M. Gates; and former senators Warren B. Rudman (R-N.H.), David Boren (D-Okla.), Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) and Gary Hart (D-Colo.).


Bush had different plans than the panel when he announced his consent for the creation of a new intelligence position in August, three years after the 9-11 attacks.


Q Yes, Mr. 'President'. First, I'd like to ask you what the level of urgency is here on those actions that require congressional approval. They're out on recess until Labor Day. Can you envision calling them back into special session? And, also, you've got a terror warning, as you said, in three cities. How do you react, without tipping the bad guys off and without turning the country into a fortress?

THE 'PRESIDENT': Well, the first question is -- the Congress has been thinking about some of these ideas. They can think about them over August and come back and act on them in September. We look forward to working with them. Not only the creation of the National Intelligence Director, how to do it the right way, but also the 9/11 Commission had some very constructive suggestions for congressional reform. I think Tom told me one time he -- how many different committees have you testified in front of?

SECRETARY RIDGE: Well, 140 times our leadership was up there last year.

THE 'PRESIDENT': He testified 140 different times.

SECRETARY RIDGE: Leadership.

THE 'PRESIDENT': And --

SECRETARY RIDGE: The leadership -- under secretaries --

THE 'PRESIDENT': Yes. I mean, it's a lot of -- he's got a lot of jurisdictions up there, and so he goes committee, subcommittee, this committee, that committee. I mean, it seems like it's one thing to testify, and there to be oversight, it's another thing to make sure that the people who are engaged in protecting America don't spend all their time testifying. And so there's going to be some important reforms. We look forward to working with Congress on the reforms.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/08/images/20040802-2_d080204-515h.html


The 'President's' plan was to wrap the nomination and approval up by September, and his main concern was that the new director would have to be immune to congressional oversight commitees because testifying might take away from their time on the job. Just give him the omnipetent power he decided he needs to further the expansion of his oligarchy and be quick about it.

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