Democrats ask Rumsfeld to address allegations he ordered director fired

[ProSense]

Democrats ask Rumsfeld to explain agency departure
Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:00 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democrats on Thursday called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to address allegations he ordered the dismissal of the director of a key Pentagon intelligence agency because he was angry about the official's testimony before Congress.

Rumsfeld cut short the tenure of former Army Gen. James Clapper as director of the Bethesda, Maryland-based National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency late last year, when Clapper was informed he would leave NGA on June 13, 2006, three months before his fifth anniversary.

The Baltimore Sun, which was first to report Clapper's impending departure, said the veteran military intelligence officer was being ousted after angering Rumsfeld during 2004 testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

NGA is responsible for analyzing data from military spy satellites and U2 aircraft for the intelligence community and military combatant commanders. The agency's director serves at the pleasure of the defense secretary, officials said.

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[DavidDvorkin]

1. Democrats ask: there's our problem

Democrats need to start demanding, loudly and repeatedly. When you're in the minority, you can't be polite.