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Director's Statement: Transition at CIA
Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mike
Hayden
January 9, 2009
In statements before and after the election, I made it clear
that I serve at the pleasure of the President. Those were not empty words. Every
Chief Executive has the right to name his own team. Today, the incoming
administration will formally announce its nominees for CIA Director and
Director of National Intelligence.
President-elect Obama has chosen Leon Panetta to succeed me
here at the Agency. With a powerful record of leadership in two branches of government,
he has a well-deserved reputation for insight, wisdom, and decency. If
confirmed by the Senate, he will learn from you about the CIA as it is now,
starting with the decisive contributions you make each day to the strength and
security of our country.
Deputy Director Steve Kappes and I have met with Mr.
Panetta, and we came away deeply impressed with his candor and clear commitment
to the welfare of the men and women of CIA. It was apparent to us that he is
eager to immerse himself in the details of intelligence and espionage.
To facilitate a smooth transition, the President-elect has
asked me to stay on until the confirmation process for a new Director is
complete, and I have agreed. We have not been able to talk about these moves
until now as they were not official. But CIA has worked closely with the Obama
team. The discussions throughout have been positive and productive.
I came to this Agency in May 2006 with very high
expectations. You exceeded them. You have kept a clear focus on the mission
that drew all of us here. In Steve and the rest of the CIA leadership, I have
had colleagues devoted to creating conditions for your success. There have been many triumphs that I have been proud
to convey to the President and, where possible, to the public at large.
That starts with a string of victories over al-Qa’ida, a
deadly, adaptive foe. From Asia to the Middle East,
CIA has also been at the forefront in counterproliferation. Our analytic
support to American fighting forces in Iraq helped open the way to the
tribal engagement that proved to be a turning point in the war. There are
plenty of others as well, which have changed the world for the better from
behind the scenes. In short, no matter what the operational, technical, or
analytic question, the answer typically includes CIA.
That is testament to your skill and courage, and it is
something of which all of us can be proud. To be sure, there is more to be
done. We continue to welcome and train large numbers of new officers. The
talent and experience they bring enrich CIA, offering a diversity of
perspectives and a uniform commitment to service. We also continue to shift our
weight in the field. Analytically, that means placing even more experts
overseas. Operationally, it means an even greater use of nontraditional
collection platforms.
This is an organization on a strong path forward. Even as we
meet the immediate demands of an unprecedented operational and analytic tempo,
we are, through our people and infrastructure, investing for the future. CIA is
a remarkable agency. We are America’s
espionage service. Our analysts do their work free of departmental influence. Our
technical effort is second to none in creativity, flexibility, and delivering
solutions. Our support personnel give us agility across the globe. And, when
our government needs the advantage that covert action provides, it comes here.
By virtue of all those things—expertise, function, and
history—CIA is central to American intelligence. It is a quiet, priceless
servant of the United States.
I have been privileged to see you, with superior knowledge and exceptional
valor, defend the American people in accord with their laws and values. There
will be opportunities in the days ahead for Jeanine and me to express our
appreciation to you. We have been honored to be part of CIA.
Mike Hayden
Posted: Jan 09, 2009 11:51 AM
Last Updated: Jan 09, 2009 11:52 AM
Last Reviewed: Jan 09, 2009 11:51 AM