The U.S. Defense Department sent a confidential request this week asking Congress to create an “intelligence czar” to improve coordination between military and other intelligence agencies, the Washington Times reported today (see GSN, May 31).

The Pentagon wants to create a defense undersecretary for intelligence, according to the Times.  Under the plan, the undersecretary-level position would have bureaucratic weight to force military intelligence units to coordinate information with other agencies, officials said.  The position would also act as a direct conduit to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Times reported.  The main candidate for the new position so far is Richard Haver, Rumsfeld’s special assistant for intelligence matters, defense sources said.

The Pentagon has also requested that Congress eliminate the office of assistant secretary for special operations and low-intensity conflict, according to the Times.  An assistant secretary for homeland security would replace the office, and a deputy assistant secretary would handle policy concerns for U.S. special forces, the Times reported.

The Pentagon made its requests in a letter sent to key members of Congress yesterday, the Times reported.  Both changes would have to be approved by Congress, a source said.  The Pentagon hopes to have the changes written into the fiscal 2003 defense authorization bill currently being debated by the Senate, the source said (Rowan Scarborough, Washington Times, June 26).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top