An Interview With Tim Roemer: The Case For Panetta

For perspective on the designation of former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta to be the director of Central Intelligence Agency, I talked to former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer, a former 9/11 commissioner and president of the Center for National Policy. Roemer, one of the earliest Democrats to back Barack Obama's presidential bid, has written on and lectured widely about intelligence reform.

My questions have been reformulated for clarity; his answers have been shortened for brevity.

Ambinder: What do you make of the pick?

Roemer:  think it is a savvy and insightful pick by the president-elect. I think Leon Panetta brings a terrific skill set and complements the national security team that Obama is putting together. Right now, we need a steady hand at the CIA. We need a strong manager. We need someone with good relationships with the Hill, someone who has a keen ability to explain difficult issues to the public.
 
In terms of urgency, what will he have to deal with?

Well, first of all, the most difficult issue is the rapidly expanding terrorist network that a metastasizing and growing around the world, not just in Afghanistan but the rebuilding in Pakistan, associating with groups like that that can strike into Mumbai; we're seeing issues of terrorist groups getting stronger with the potential of rising .. in Western Europe.
 
Secondly, one of the key issues is managing the young work force at the CIA, balancing our electronic and satellite capabilities with a human intelligence network that can penetrate some of these groups around the world....The challenge there -- we've got one of the youngest workforces since 9/11 in any of the government agencies... and it's very diversified, and getting more diversified....that's a strength.

Third, dealing with critically important issues like Gitmo, renditions,  torture, wiretapping how do we communicate better with the Hill and the public on these issues?

[And].....Something near and dear to my heart: how does the CIA continue to work other parts of our governments and other governments on WMD issues: biological, nuclear, radiological -- how do we make sure that this confluence of terrorism and proliferation and different techniques doesn't come together resulting in an attack.

Panetta has no background with agency. With recent history in mind, that might create some tension with agency veterans. Is that a problem?

I think that underestimates his chief of staff experience, when you're dealing with the CIA and the national security administration on a daily basis. He has about three years of experience dealing with the heads of agencies, with crises, and with national and foreign policy issues. I think he does bring a knowledge of the CIA and good national security experience from both his time on the Hill and the Iraq study group...and as chief of staff to the president where you're immersed in it on an hourly basis. Leon is going to be dealing with sensitive issues, like Guantanamo, and renditions and torture, and [there needs to be] a good working relationship with Capitol Hill, and he has that.

 

In terms of the 9/11 commission's recommendations about intelligence sharing and reform, has the Bush administration made progress? 

 

There's been some progress. I think the [office of the Director of National Intelligence] is a work in progress. There are things that are already off to a good start: some of the sharing of information and the breaking down of some of the walls and the stovepipes; we're working better with other countries with sharing intelligence and working on law enforcement issues and trying to find ways of expand the use of soft power and smart power.

 

We are making some progress. I think the DNI has a ways to go in that area. I think they're using too many outside contractors; there are some reports that the number of contractors there equal the number of full-time employees. That's a deep concern and something to really keep your eye on longer term; there are accountability issues there, there are budget issues there, there are issues about reporting to Congress....

 

[Current CIA director] Gen. [Mike] Hayden has unequivocally said that case officers should be protected from prosecution in the next administration. The Obama team has been silent about that. It does seem that Mr. Panetta will be called upon to take a position on that. If the next Justice Department decides to prosecute current CIA officers for crimes committed during the Bush Administration, what should he do?

 

 There is certainly a residue of issues that the next CIA director is going to have to handle from the outgoing Bush administration. There are issues dealing with case officers, torture, renditions, issues involving telecommunications companies. Certainly, somebody with Leon Panetta's public experience, his national security experience as chief of staff, his ability to build trust between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, and his openness to be able to communicate with the public. All these skills will be needed in this new job.