CIA? Military?

[MikeD]

Gotta say I don't agree with appointing an active-duty military man to head a civilian agency...Hayden may be (and probably is) a great individual for the job, but...

1) We're opening the door to appoint military people to other traditionally civilian positions. Bad idea; defies basic traditions and principles of American government.

2) Dual loyalties/responsibilites to a military system/chain of command. Admittedly, he's probably not looking for military promotion or anything at this point (by position, that is; obviously he's at the highest non-wartime rank available...), but it's a potential concern that neither he nor the country should have to deal with.

Thoughts?

MD

[noname]

Can't say I'm completely comfortable with it, but there is precedent. He would be I believe the fifth military officer to head the CIA. The question is will he be wearing two hats? I had been assuming that to take the CIA position would mean resigning the generalship. Is this the case? If not than I don't see how this appointment can procede.
Wouldn't be kosher in my opinion.

[MikeD]

The question is will he be wearing two hats? I had been assuming that to take the CIA position would mean resigning the generalship. Is this the case? If not than I don't see how this appointment can procede.
Wouldn't be kosher in my opinion.

Yeah, I've been off in the woods all day these past few days, so I haven't had a complete upshot of the news...I was figuring that if he has to resign from the military, what's the big goddamned deal?

MD

[noname]

Yeah, I've been off in the woods all day these past few days, so I haven't had a complete upshot of the news...I was figuring that if he has to resign from the military, what's the big goddamned deal?

MD
I assumed the resignation was a given if he gets the job, but the media is making it sound like he is going to retain his generalship and run the CIA, effectively making it a subserviant branch of the air force. I'll have to ask around at work tomorrow. Someone there will likely know for sure.

[jimmydean]

I agree that the idea of a military man in charge of a civilian branch of national security is a bad idea. Having been involved with military security and information management, there is too much that is done worng for the sake of the job without moral cause.

If he carries that mentality into the CIA, that would be dangerous.

[bigdrop05]

So.. why do people call them(CIA) "spooks".

[bjanga]

Only field agents are called spooks, right?

[LordOpie]

spooks
spooky
ghosts
whitey

[bigdrop05]

There is a cypher out in front of CIA building on a statue or something . Someone is still trying to completely break it. Did i see that on this forum ?