WP: Bush Nominates Negroponte to New Intel Post

[G_j]

(oh shit!) edit: sorry mods, I did a search on this headline but didn't catch the other thread on this story.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31826-2005Feb17.html

Bush Nominates Negroponte to New Intel Post
Iraq Ambassador Will Return to Washington

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 17, 2005; 11:54 AM

President Bush today named veteran diplomat John D. Negroponte to the new post of national intelligence chief, picking the current ambassador to Iraq and former envoy to the United Nations in a surprise choice to oversee 15 intelligence agencies.

If confirmed by the Senate, Negroponte, 65, will assume a post created by legislation aimed at overhauling the nation’s intelligence system. He was appointed by Bush last year as the first U.S. ambassador to Iraq after the ouster of Saddam Hussein and recently announced, without explanation, that he would be leaving that post.

Bush named as Negroponte’s deputy the current head of the National Security Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden. A career Air Force intelligence officer, Hayden heads the nation’s largest intelligence service, and his appointment to be deputy national intelligence director served to underscore the significance that Bush is attaching to the top job.

“As DNI , John will lead a unified intelligence community and will serve as the principal adviser to the president on intelligence matters,” Bush said in making the announcement. He said Negroponte would have authority over budgets and that the CIA director would report to Negroponte. Bush also said that Negroponte would be “my primary briefer” on intelligence on a daily basis and would have regular access to the president, although he would not work in the White House.

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