CIA, intel director locked in spy turf battle

AP ^ | May 27, 2009 | PAMELA HESS

[maggief]

WASHINGTON – The nation's two intelligence chiefs are locked in a turf battle over overseas posts, forcing National Security Adviser James L. Jones to mediate, according to current and former government officials.

The jockeying between CIA Director Leon Panetta and National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair centers on Blair's effort to choose his own representatives at U.S. embassies instead of relying only on CIA station chiefs. Current and former U.S. officials described the dispute on the condition of anonymity, because of the sensitivity of intelligence issues.

[PubliusMM]

Well, heck fire, according to SanFranNan, you can’t trust the CIA. They lie to Congress...

[peace with honor]

I vote for the CIA

[maggief]

“The officials said the move could lead to a bisected intelligence structure in the field that would end up with CIA station chiefs carrying out day-to-day spy operations while intelligence director representatives oversee and report back to Blair on the same operations. CIA veterans warned it could complicate and slow missions that require rapid decisions.

CIA officials also said the move could confuse or degrade long-standing relationships with foreign intelligence agencies and U.S. ambassadors who would not know whether to rely on the word of the station chiefs or the national intelligence director’s representatives.”

Building more walls???

[Jack Hammer]

Meanwhile, the world laughs at our Keystone Kops administration.