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Right man to lead CIA: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, AUG. 10 . The U.S. President, George W Bush, today named the retiring Republican Congressman from Florida, Porter Goss, to be the next CIA Director. The name of Mr. Goss has been doing the rounds ever since the previous Director, George Tenet, had put in his papers.

"He is well prepared for this mission," said Mr. Bush. "He's the right man to lead and support the agency at this critical moment in our nation's history." Mr. Goss has to be confirmed by the Senate. Under the emerging scheme of things, the Director of the CIA will lose some power in the reshuffling.

A lawmaker since 1989, Mr. Goss has been a former intelligence officer in the United States Army as well as a case officer with the CIA for nine years beginning in 1962. He is serving as the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

It is said that the White House wished to send a message of stability in naming the candidate especially when intelligence agencies are coming under sharp criticism and scrutiny.

`Too political'

If Republicans are under the impression that the confirmation of Mr. Goss is going to be a breeze, that could be misplaced. Senior Democrats like Senator John Rockefeller, who is the ranking member in the Senate Intelligence Committee, has made it known that Mr. Goss is a vocal supporter of the President and hence has become "too political."

In fact several unnamed Democratic lawmakers are quoted in media reports as saying that if Senator John Kerry wins the November 2 election, he is not likely to keep Mr. Goss even if he had won Senate approval.

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