Hayden is new CIA chief, sparks debate

President George W Bush on Monday chose Air Force General Michael Hayden to lead the embattled CIA, re-igniting a debate over the domestic surveillance programme that the one-time head of the National Security Agency once ran.

Republican and Democratic critics also questioned the wisdom of putting a military officer in charge of the civilian spy agency. “Mike Hayden is supremely qualified for this position,” Bush said in the Oval Office, with Hayden at his side. Without mentioning Hayden’s critics or their objections, the President said: “He knows the intelligence community from the ground up.” If confirmed, Hayden would replace Porter Goss, who resigned under pressure on Friday.

Bush said that Hayden “has been a provider and consumer of intelligence.” To balance the CIA between military and civilian leadership, the White House plans to move aside the agency’s No. 2 official, Vice Admiral Albert Calland III, who took over as deputy director less than a year ago, two senior administration officials said. Other personnel changes also are likely, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the changes are not ready to announce.