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Negroponte Done as Intelligence Director

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posted on Jan, 3 2007 @ 09:20 PM
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John Negroponte is leaving his job as Intelligence Director after 20 months to become Deputy Secretary of State. Michael McConnell has been tapped as his successor.
 



www.foxnews.com
National Intelligence Director John Negroponte will resign and become deputy secretary of state in a move the White House will likely announce by week's end, a senior U.S. official confirms to FOX News.

Negroponte became the nation's first intelligence leader in April 2005, when he took charge of overseeing all 16 spy agencies the U.S. operates. This move puts him back in the loop as a diplomat, working under Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

His position has been offered to retired Adm. Michael McConnell, who was former head of the National Security Agency from 1992 to 1996 and was the top intelligence officer under Gen. Colin Powell during the first Gulf War, the official said.

There's no word on whether he has accepted or declined the offer. McConnell is currently a senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, a government contractor and consulting agency.




Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


This seems like a demotion to me, but it is being touted as a new opportunity for Negroponte to return to diplomatic service.

The shake-ups in the Bush Administration continue.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 04:01 AM
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Yeah it kind of sounds like a demotion to me as well.

Maybe he just didn't like his position.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 09:01 AM
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Maybe.

I get the impression our nation's leadership is currently struggling to maintain direction and momentum.

President Bush tried to put the focus on Congress yesterday after his cabinet meeting, trotting out the same old rhetoric about entitlement programs, beating a dead horse. He did make some good points about earmarks though. I would like to see more transparency in the appropriations process, and less pork.

The old adage does come to mind though, "why point out the mote in your brother's eye when you have a beam in your own?"

President Bush is responsible for the fiscal problems we face with his failure to use his veto power. He asked again for a line-item veto yesterday. He will never get it. Its un-Constitutional.

More than ever now we need strong, cohesive, enlightened leadership. This latest shuffle gives me no confidence we are going to see it from this administration.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 10:45 AM
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I think this move signals that Secretary Rice will not be with the Bush team much longer. Negropointe's career history indicates that he's not above being used as a place-holder. My prediction is htat several senior staffer will leave office to avoid being questioned by the new Congress.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 10:58 AM
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I agree that if the congress goes alone with a new and improve ethics committee many will leave the white house to avoid probing.

Funny how governments come and go, everybody gets momentum and then people runs at the sign of change.

Then you most wonder who this people serve, It most be getting lonely in the white house for Bush.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 11:59 AM
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JO,

My first impression with his move to DS @ State was Rice was on the way out. She certainly has reason to be concerned about questioning, imo.

Let's face it, none of these people can afford to come clean, they will all end up in prison.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 12:53 PM
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They will be worry about been questioned if they are still part of the government I have no doubt.

But once they step down I imagine that Mr. Bush will be doing a lot of pardoning for his entire administration in the last 90 days of his term.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 07:26 PM
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Once a person leaves office, they can claim ignorance about things. "I don't recall" becomes a popular phrase. It's also quite possible to hide behind a phalanx of lawyers. My suspicion is that we're going to see the rats get off the sinking ship.

As long as they leave office before the congressional subpoenas are issued, there won't be any need for an official pardon. Negropointe himself will be of some small interest to the Dems, but he's been moved from job to job so frequently that he hasn't been in any one post long enough to merit a great deal of attention. If Rice does leave, he will be easily confirmed as her replacement.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 08:56 PM
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I'm more concerned with getting the ship righted and back on course than I am with seeing earthly justice meted out to the rats. Just getting them off the ship will do for now. We still have a ways to go, imo.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 11:01 PM
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Originally posted by Icarus Rising
I'm more concerned with getting the ship righted and back on course than I am with seeing earthly justice meted out to the rats. Just getting them off the ship will do for now. We still have a ways to go, imo.


I don't think this generation of rats will have any trouble getting off the ship of State. Trouble is, we've have many generations of politicians who have bailed out when things got messy. They have no compunction about lining their pockets before heading for the lifeboats.

Trouble is, there's only so many breaches the hull can take before the vessel rolls over. I've been alive just long enough to hear that refrain a few times before. "As long as these particular rats get off the ship, we've still got a chance." How many times does the ship have to sink before we get the idea?

The Titanic only had to hit one iceberg.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 11:23 PM
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Hmm... so, a retired military officer will be taking over his position, now virtually every single intelligence position (directors) will be held by either active or retired military brass. Interesting trend indeed...

[edit on 4-1-2007 by WestPoint23]



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 02:15 AM
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I agree, that is an interesting "trend." It's worth noting that Hariet Meyers resigned as White House legal counsel today. That's one more person off the roles who would like to avoid being questioned by the new Congress. I have no doubt that Donald Rumselfd will be glad to dodge that bullet as well.

Negroponte is an interesting case study. I've been following his carer with some interest for many years. In his own way, he has influenced my writing. Not that it matters. He's the kind of guy who has his...uses. He's one of those people whom I suspect takes a secret delight in being able to look at the t.v. camera to say, "that matter was tended to by my predecssor. I have no direct knowledge of the events you are referring to. I wish I could be of more help to this committee. Really, I do."



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 02:21 AM
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Originally posted by WestPoint23
Hmm... so, a retired military officer will be taking over his position, now virtually every single intelligence position (directors) will be held by either active or retired military brass. Interesting trend indeed...

[edit on 4-1-2007 by WestPoint23]


Interesting isn't a word I'd use to describe it. Disconcerting at the very least. Let's hope this is only temporary as I'd hate to see your government start to merge with the military even in the tiniest way possible. It sets bad precedent.(yes I know, he is retired, but still...)

I do appreciate the straight talking, non-deflecting attitude of the new guy they got to testify before congress(forget his name but he was rather blunt to boot). I like that kind of honesty and it's something that's been sorely lacking in western society in general for quite a while,(if ever?).

[edit on 5-1-2007 by sardion2000]



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 02:21 AM
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Isn't a bit critical path at the moment to be swapping out directors of Intel? There's also some serious General replacing going in. Is this a clue that what's coming may not be palatable to those in these former positions?



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 02:33 AM
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There are a lot of people leaving just now toavoid being summoned before one of those investigative committees. Congress has the subpoena power to question anyone. that includes the Army brass who might be running the war. The Bush administration is changing gears to do battle with these committees and their partisan investigators.

the intelligence agneices are large bureaucracies. the people who head them don't have much of an impact unless they make policy changes. If they fail to win budget monies for their agencies, they can hinder or harm the programs they are supposed to oversee. the people who are taking voer for the recently departed folks know the score. They know they are stepping in to take the heat. It's all part of getting their tickets punched, so to speak. Career building.

Stop and think about this. What can the new guys say when asked? How much are they guilty of? What can they be charged with? The answer is, "not much." They can blame anything they like on the people who came before them. In purely bureaucratic terms, they are "safe." When the Dems kick off their witch hunts, they will only need ot prove that bad things happened. It's true that nobody will hang, but the GOP will look bad...and that's all they will want.



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 05:08 AM
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I guess that it would be a little bit nieve to think that maybe Bush has finally woke up and realized that all these guys have been lying to him all along and he's firing the lying creeps, huh? maybe it's cheney that's going, and rice it to take his place, leaving her spot for Negroponte??
as far as all the brass being thrown into the mix, in a way, I'm tempted to say good. the military has been about broken through the administration's policies...maybe they need a little more say in the government at this time to save the institution, not to mention the lives of our active service men and women?
It would be nice to have the congress question all of this and get all the answers but I rather have my doubts about that one happening. if all goes as it has been, they will be the benefactors off all this power the executive branch has been gathering, and well, they more than likely won't open the can or worms enough to let any of that power slip out of their hands..



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 08:03 AM
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Originally posted by dawnstar
...if all goes as it has been, they will be the benefactors off all this power the executive branch has been gathering, and well, they more than likely won't open the can or worms enough to let any of that power slip out of their hands..


You make a good point. I've been saying just this sort of thing ever since I got the invite to be a CM on this site.

Example

The overall trend in government today has been centralization. Anti-Federalist forces have been losing the Constitutional battle for quite some time. The current state of the GOP makes this point all by itself.

Example

To furhter underscore this point, I'd like to bring something to your attention that comes straight from the White House.

Food For Thought

This link goes to a policy page that asserts the Executive branch's authority to read your mail without a warrant. This is a 'power' that Dems and Republicans alike will embrace with gusto. You won't see them giving it back any time soon. Think twice before you reach for that stamp.

These are just a few of the examples that motivate me to say the things that I do.



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 08:47 AM
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Originally posted by WestPoint23
Hmm... so, a retired military officer will be taking over his position, now virtually every single intelligence position (directors) will be held by either active or retired military brass. Interesting trend indeed...

[edit on 4-1-2007 by WestPoint23]


Isn't the way that used to be in the ole old good days?

I mean Rumsfelt took away a lot of power from the generals in the pentagon when he became the secretary of defense, he surrounded himself with yes mans, that will answer to him first before the president.

When before that, these generals would go directly to the president.

One interesting point to make is, that if you are old enough or has been aware of the politics of the last 45 years you will know that these rat are always the same ones coming back over and over depending which party is in power.

I was surprised alsw when Ms Myers also decided to step down, I guess these people are realy worry about what will happen next.



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 09:53 AM
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The departure of Hariet Meyers was to be expected, since all the other major players are making moves to protect themselves. The Bush administration can't project itself totally from the investigations that are coming. It's worth noting that some of those investigations are going to have a peak in to the corporations that are making such handsome profits from the war.

Now then, back to Mr. Negroponte. This is a guy who has made a job skill out of taking one forthe team. I would not doubt that he will be taking steps to destroy certain records in the State Department archives before he rises to higher prominence. this guy could be a character from my novel. ha.

The only question is, when do YOU think he will become the new Secretary of State? Rice will want to leave before it's obvious that she's running from the building. I have no doubt that she is shopping for a university post now. What says the rest of you?



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 10:11 AM
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I think Negroponte will not be able to stay very much away from the probing of the Ethics committee becasue he was the one in charge of the spying program that also was spying of citizens.

The democrats made a big deal about that fact and I imagine that they will be pursuing this issue alone with the 9/11.

Negroponte dark background seems not to bother Bush knowing that he was acused of supporting torture and death squats in the Reagan years in Honduras.

While been also a failure in Iraq MWDs reports, he played the spy alright, everytime I look at that man face I get the hairs of my neck to spike up.

And yes is a very good chance that Condi will step down and fing a lucrative job somewhere else where politics will no be that important.




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