Dennis Blair: Director Of National Intelligence?

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UPDATE 12/20, 9 AM

Citing "officials familiar with the selection process," the LA Times has reported that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Dennis Blair to be his national intelligence director:

If confirmed, Blair would be Obama's point person on an array of highly charged intelligence issues the incoming administration will inherit from President Bush.

Among them are the allocation of resources amid two wars, the operation of secret CIA prisons overseas, and the ongoing wiretapping of e-mails and calls that pass through the United States.

The Washington Post also features a profile of Blaire today, anticipating his selection.

Reuters reports on Adm. Dennis Blair:

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen retired Navy Adm. Dennis Blair as the top U.S. intelligence official and could make an announcement as early as Friday, a source familiar with the nomination said on Thursday.

"We expect the announcement tomorrow," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Blair would oversee the entire U.S. intelligence apparatus and be responsible for delivering Obama's daily intelligence briefing.

The AP reported Wednesday that Blair's nomination was held up by disagreement over the office:

Blair met with the transition team on Tuesday and there was no hint of trouble at that point, a Democratic Party official familiar with the meeting said.

But the officials said the transition team and Blair appear to be split over who would choose his deputy. They also are said to disagree over the scope and purpose of the national intelligence director's office. The Obama transition is said to be discussing plans to downsize the office.

The American Prospect's Tim Fernholz notes that while Blair is "an interesting character who is considered smart about the possibility of engagement, not conflict, with countries like China, and he has made the right noises on terrorism reduction" he isn't perfect. "It seems that Blair, while serving as head of Pacific Command in 2000, had some unpleasant dealings with Indonesian leaders and displayed some remarkably poor judgment on intelligence about violence in East Timor."

Read more about Dennis Blair, Dennis Blair Intel Chief, Dennis Blair DNI, Dennis Blair Director of National Intelligence.

Comments

[politicogal2]

In this time of terrorism and fear, it is great to read about Eunice Williams. She was taken captive by the Mohawk Indians in 1704 and bridged the warring cultures. Great article about love and peace.

Read more: type "Vaboomer Eunice Williams" in Google search

[eden4barack08]

"Blair's views on China and Taiwan and his efforts to create lasting multinational forums in Asia brought him crosswise with then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and ultimately cost him a chance at becoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also is deeply committed to engagement, even with traditional adversaries, and to reorganizing government to empower diplomacy and other nonmilitary instruments of power, he has said in numerous interviews."

Didn't know too much about him before today, but I'm sold.

[MattinChicago]

He also been quoted as calling the politicians to task for using such long term planning for their own political gain but not being able to do the same thing in our National interest.

Bet he had a lot of Congressmen on the committee he was testifying before looking at their shoes!

[bygollymissmolly]

The American Prospect's Tim Fernholz notes that while Blair is "an interesting character who is considered smart about the possibility of engagement, not conflict, with countries like China, and he has made the right noises on terrorism reduction" he isn't perfect.
-----------------------------
There is no such thing as "perfect" when it comes to political appointments.

[kentuck]

Where's Wes Clark?? He's smart enough to handle this job.

[nancytheragingliberal]

KenT, I agree with you. Wes Clark will be a fabulous choice for this job. What is going on and why is he still waiting in the wings? I am not happy.

[sarimn00]

Maybe he isn't interested.

[vjoseph]

He is not available until 2010

[editorjuno]

That leads me to suspect that he might replace Gates at DoD -- the timing would be about right.

[MomfromTexas]

Myabe, he didn't apply for the job. Maybe, he talked to Obama and decided against the job. Maybe, something came up in vetting.

[Babysnake]

Clark is too wishy washy.

[berryessence]

CLARK IS A HAWK AND YES WISHY WASHY..

ALSO CLARK DOESN'T BELIEVE IN DON' T ASK DON'T TELL

[JulieSA]

He's a loose cannon, and he can't keep his mouth shut. Obama won't appoint him for anything important, and you can bank on that.

[Neaguy]

Another in a long line of anti progressive appointment. With this latest right winger we now have only one actual nominee with hard core Democratic actions and beliefs: Solis.

Block them all except for her.

[vjoseph]

Proof he's a right winger. Put up and shut up

[bubbuh]

You need some serutan mixed bran.

[eden4barack08]

LOL.

[Ajegunle]

I AM A DEM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT UNDER GOOD PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP, REPUBS ARE MORE GONGHO ABOUT DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY.

I APPLAUD THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S CHOICE.

[Enid]

My understanding of O;s is he is very permissive in the person but if they do not do their job he is very fast to fire. How embarrassing could you get being fired by the President.

[berryessence]

REALLY?

How many attacks on the US has been on a Dem President?

How many attacks on the US has been on a Repub President?

I'll take the Democratic President

[holyhandgrenaid]

Apparently you missed the part about engaging traditional enemies and ruffling Rumsfeld's feathers. Yeah, he sure sounds like a winger to me me (rolls eyes sarcastically)

[1murillo]

Neaguy

There will never be a time when President Obama's decisions will completely please a given constituency.

The narrative right now - it changed from 3 wks ago when 'Rivals' was popular - is that Obama is moving (or has moved, or has always been) to the far right. This argument is based on his cabinet appointments, some of us will never be happy. Soon there'll be another thread to follow.

Yikes, we won the election! But now, it's safer to wrestle among ourselves than to tackle the many real problems we face.

[mphalen]

Is that Lance Armstrong's dad?

[bubbuh]

Only if Lance A's dad uses steroids.

[ZimboDude]

lol

[eden4barack08]

More like his brother perhaps?

[BaileyWo]

This guy couldn't look more puckered up if he sat on a pile of alum.

[JulieSA]

He tried to waterski from a destroyer one time.

[ChangeHasCome2]

I support Obama 100% but when will people without connectiions get a chance, like myself?

I wanted to become to one who recited a poem at the inauguration but didn't even get a call. I am not happy with that although I still support my President. I just feel that people without the contacts and networking capability should get an opportunity as well.

Please visit youtube and search for "thinkverybig" and watch all of my videos.

Also, please check out www.thinkverybig.com and www.besomeone.org

[Misha-in-Texas]

Have you ever written a post where you are not website pimping?

[eden4barack08]

Never!

[repearwo]

Me too. I really wanted to be his Vice President, but he chose Joe. It has been real hard for me to get used to, but I guess it will all work out.

[MomfromTexas]

Heeheeheeheeheehee

[eden4barack08]

Lol.

[1murillo]

I want to be the Ambassador to Costa Rica - hint, Mr. President: I'm still available - I still have a chance (unless he's already lined up some one).

[MattinChicago]

Maybe you could fill in as the girls puppy? Try not to piddle on the rug.

[andysilver]

If he nominates Dennis Blair to be Director of National Intelligence, President-elect Obama will be making a blunder that can not easily be set aside as a pragmatic choice as can his other nominations of persons who have supported or helped implement the atrocious policies of the Bush administration. Hillary Clinton’s support for the invasion of Iraq and Tim Geithner’s participation in the quarter trillion dollar gift to major banks with no requirement that the banks use the fortune for making loans are policy positions that can be put into reverse by strong presidential guidance. But condoning and supporting widespread torture and massacres, as Admiral Blair did in 1999 in his meeting with Indonesian General Wiranto while his militias were on a rampage in East Timor ( http://www.thenation.com/doc/19990927/nairn ), is a policy position on which the president might not be able effectively to override the Director of National Intelligence where covert operations are involved.
Cenk Uygar in his November 24 post supported Richard Clarke for CIA director, because of his having been right about Iraq, Al Qaida and 9/11. In fact, as a veteran of the NSC but not CIA, Clarke probably should be named DNI. As for DCI, I hope that Barack Obama is considering or consulting with Ray McGovern, who also has been right over the years when the president and the CIA have been wrong, with regard both to Iraq and to torture.

[Maniza]

I have to admit he is so good looking!

[wadenelson1]

Any man with a jaw that square deserves a command appointment.

[BritishAmerican]

Are you serious? Well, if this is your type - Good luck! Good-looking my foot!!!

[Misha-in-Texas]

Yes he is!

[bubbuh]

Good looking for what? I hope it's intel.

[Fein]

Our primary danger from terrorists will be greatly lessened by removing the corrupt Republicans that created the threat with their unjust wars and hubris.

I'm sure we'll be still paying the price of their arrogant stupidity for years to come.

[MattinChicago]

and substitute our own arrogance and hubris? How about we try less name-calling and hatred and start fixing some problems?

[dphilip]

I understand that elections have consequences. "A concept that democrats accept only if they are the winners"....Obama was elected ,presumably, in part to dismantle the safeguards that Bush put in place in the intelligence community. Whether they were illegal or immoral or whatever...fine...
However, if we are attacked again, I am confident that the democrats will stand up straight and tall and acknowledge that they were the ones that removed the programs and practices that may have prevented it.

[ronito6]

As straight and tall as Republicans did after 9/11

[cheforacle]

Maybe if we are attacked again, instead of engaging in just idle speculation, we review the facts of such attack and base our lessons on what we learn not what a prognosticator is previously inclined to believe.

[najablah]

So in your mind did Bush go far enough? Why not just arrest everyone that expresses any form of dissent against the government? That way you can ensure that everyone stays safe. For the ones that don't dissent publicly, their phones are wire tapped so we'll get them too.

Once everyone that sounds funny or looks funny is rounded up, we'll just extraordinary rendition them to Egypt and have them tortured so they can give false confessions that lead to more arrests.

Sounds like freedom to me.

[MattinChicago]

Has anyone ever noticed how much grousing there is about Bush stifling dissent and silencing all of these voices?

And has anyone ever noticed the irony that it has been going on so long and so loudly? (some might even say it has reached the point of whining).

[zizyphus]

"Safeguards" that Bush put in place? Spying on every American, dragging people to prison with no phone call, no lawyer, torture? He robbed us of all our civil liberties, and you feel safer? Bush, who said the constitution is "just a piece of paper"? JFC.

[Littlewords]

Does one let fear cause the loss of the values, laws, and freedoms that make life what it is in the free world. There is a good reason why those that lacked such freedoms early on in our great history at the most tenuous time engaged the fight to forge and institute these freedoms that we now enjoy today declaring to all...give me liberty or give me death.

Seems you are opposed to this basic principal and guiding value that helped to create this great nation. You should move to a non-free society for 10 yrs and then return to tell us whether your position remains the same.

You are dangerous, misguided, and most un-American my friend.

[Unsui]

"You are dangerous, misguided, and most un-American my friend".
You forgot to add chickens%^t.

[slowhand0728]

"The Obama transition is said to be discussing plans to downsize the office."
I would have hoped and thought the opposite was true, we need to expand our intelligence department, look what bad intel got us into last time.

[punk]

We already spend a TRILLION on national defense and BILLIONS on intelligence. You think a bigger office is going to make you safer? Think again.

[timberdoodle]

If you check it out it wasn't bad intelligence it was ignoring the intelligence and creating intelligence that suited the intentions of the Hawks who wanted to invade Iraq at all costs. Intelligence and the Bush administration is the best example of an oxymoron.

[slowhand0728]

Good Points, knowing people in the department and the fact that we have not been attacked since 9-11 at least not on our soil, am hoping for a restructuring but not a downsize.

[Cedman]

It ws as not bad intel that got us into trouble. In a word it was - Incompetence

[naturallight]

wrong. in a word, "conspiracy". wiki projectcamelot

[digdeeper]

thats because none of the intelligence and security departments were working together. In fact they were competing with each other and withholding information.
Lets hope that grubby state of affiars has now been rectified.

[CatfishAndGrits]

The intel was NOT bad.

The intel stated that THERE WAS NO WMD. Bush said give me some intel that says there is. That's when you started hearing about yellow cake uranium from Niger, and mobile laboratories in Iraq. None of which have born any truth.

[soundfury]

This is true and several individuals have confirmed that this is how it happened.

[ribe8g]

I'm swooning over this spook

[kimleehan]

I wich he would have given the job to Velery Plame just to spite the Bush administration. Give her investigation rights into who authorized the outing of a secret agent. God knows she deserves something from Obama's administration after all she went through.

[digdeeper]

Good one I agree

[dphilip]

That is a very forward looking statement......yeah, the reputation you dems have for being petty and
obsessed with retribution is so underserved....

[slg]

Not nearly so richly deserved as neo con capacity for never accepting responsibility for mind boggling incompetence.

[Oldchef]

On the contrary, the dems have bent over backwards to avoid even the appearance of retribution. (see Pelosi's "impeachment off the table"). Personally, I'd like to see some of the Bushies' most egregious stuff investigated and the perps prosecuted, but it looks as if we will have to wait for an international tribunal to do the job, as the dems have been too wimpy to do so. It looks as if the dems won't pursue charges of war crimes against some members of the Bush adminstration, so i don't know where you come off charging the dems with obsession with retribution.