July 20, 2004
Admiral Inman
debates the CIA’s future on News Hour with Jim Lehrer
Admiral Bobby Inman, the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy at the LBJ School, was one of two former CIA officials interviewed on PBS’s News Hour with Jim Lehrer on the need for reform and new leadership in the embattled intelligence agency. Moderated by Margaret Warner, the July 12 discussion also included Admiral Stansfield Turner, who served as director of the CIA during the Carter administration. In a lively debate, Turner argued that in light of the upcoming November elections, appointing a new director at this time would be a mistake. Inman, who served as deputy director of the CIA during the Reagan administration and later as director of the National Security Agency, argued that President Bush should move swiftly to appoint a new director.
“It can't be a political appointee; it has to be somebody who really understands the organizations,” said Inman. “Rep. Goss, Adm. Bill Studeman, there are two or three others you could think about, who have been there, who still have a lot of energy . . . who could move in and immediately bring the focus, not only organizing but on the challenges in front of us.”
“This is a very perilous time. And we don't need the leadership looking back over its shoulder on what criticism is going to come tomorrow,” said Inman. “Are they pursuing every shred of potential evidence about the next terrorist attack—either inside our country or elsewhere, against us or our allies—or are we focusing on the military support ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan?”
Streaming video of the segment and a transcript of the discussion are available online at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/fedagencies/july-dec04/director_7-12.html. To access the video, click on the link posted under “Discussion.” The transcript of the discussion is located beneath Kwame Holman’s interview with outgoing CIA Director George Tenet.
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20 July 2004
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