US: George Bush's choice of a controversial air force general to head the CIA raised the prospect of a contentious confirmation battle yesterday amid Republican and Democratic alarm that the civilian spy agency risks being swallowed up by the Pentagon.
Mr Bush formally nominated Gen Michael Hayden, an air force officer who is deputy to the intelligence overlord, John Negroponte, yesterday morning, working to ease his passage by putting forward a concerted defence from several administration officials. "Mike Hayden is supremely qualified for this position," Mr Bush said. "He knows the intelligence community from the ground up."
If confirmed, Gen Hayden will replace Porter Goss, who was forced to resign last week after barely two years in the job. But he could face a much tougher confirmation battle than anticipated. Republicans and Democrats closed ranks to express their opposition to the choice of a military officer to head the CIA at a time when the Pentagon is trying to expand its role in intelligence gathering.
Gen Hayden is also controversial for his role in the unsanctioned surveillance of e-mail and telephone calls of American citizens in his previous job as director of the National Security Agency.
"The debate in the Senate may end up being about the terrorist surveillance programme and not about the future of the CIA or the intelligence community, which is exactly where the debate needs to be," Peter Hoekstra, the Republican chairman of the house intelligence committee, told CBS television yesterday. The administration tried to address concerns that the CIA, still to recover entirely from its recent failures, was in for a further period of instability.
"The intent was to convey a message of reassurance that going forward we want to build on the existing strengths of the CIA," Mr Negroponte said.
He also said Gen Hayden would be well placed to stand up to the Pentagon. "Michael Hayden is a very, very independent-minded person. He's blunt spoken, and I don't think would have any difficulties taking on positions that are independent." (Guardian service)