Grassley Voices Objection to FBI Promotion (FBI made late-night joke)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP:
Senator Voices Objection to FBI Promotion
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 11, 2005


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI's counterterrorism chief should not get a promotion to run the bureau's new National Security Service because he has said expertise about the Mideast or terrorism was not a requirement for top terror-fighting jobs, a lawmaker and frequent FBI critic said Thursday.

Gary Bald testified in a civil lawsuit that he had no counterterrorism experience when he moved to headquarters to oversee anti-terrorism strategy two years ago....President Bush has directed the FBI to set up a National Security Service to bring its counterintelligence, counterterrorism and intelligence divisions under one umbrella. John Negroponte, the director of national intelligence, has a say in hiring the new service's director.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, in a letter to Negroponte, said the director must have substantial counterterrorism experience, writing, ''This is not a position for on-the-job training.'' He said he sent the letter to Negroponte because ''I wanted to make sure that you were aware of Mr. Bald's recent testimony about his background and expertise in counterterrorism.''...

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Asked whether having detailed knowledge of Middle Eastern history and culture is important, he said, ''I think it's helpful, not required. I wouldn't say it's important, although I wish that I had it. It would be nice.''

Grassley said these and other comments by Bald and some senior colleagues had made the FBI the butt of late-night talk-show jokes.


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Grassley-FBI.html