President Bush Asks Congress To Create A National Intelligence Director

The Associated Press reports that President Bush is asking Congress to create a National Intelligence Director:

In asking Congress to create the position of a national intelligence director, Bush said the person holding the post would be appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and would serve at the pleasure of the president. The director would serve as the president's principal intelligence adviser, overseeing and coordinating the foreign and domestic activities of the intelligence community.

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"I want, and every president must have, the best, unbiased, unvarnished assessment of America's intelligence professionals," Bush said.

A trancript of President Bush's remarks on intelligence reform is available here.

I'm not convinced that just making changes in organizational charts is going to provide better intelligence. Nevertheless, politically President Bush had no choice but to endorse this major recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. It is amazing that the President is willing to disagree with the Commission that the "intelligence czar" be in the White House. I think that is a good call. It is too much temptation to have the person overseeing all intelligence based in the White House. Hopefully a little distance will keep the intelligence czar out of policy discussions.