The coming end of the CIA: Jim Lobe - Asia Times

[kpete]

May 10, 2006

Portents: The coming end of the CIA
By Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - Monday's nomination by US President George W Bush of air force General Michael Hayden to take over the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from the hapless Porter Goss has predictably intensified speculation over what is really going on behind the scenes.

Most analysts see the shifts as the latest battle between the director of national intelligence (DNI), John Negroponte, and Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld in the war over control of the multiple functions of the United States' sprawling, US$40-billion-a-year intelligence community.

But opinion appears deeply divided over which bureaucratic titan
will emerge as this round's winner, although few doubt that the unceremonious dismissal of a CIA director who served less than 20 months on the job - particularly by a president who has proved dogged in retaining loyal servants despite strong evidence of their incompetence - is filled with portent.

much more & very interesting:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/HE10Aa01.html