The Reason For Goss' Departure

The Times website has now posted an authorative story, based on sources in the administration and intelligence community, stating that Gen. Michael Hayden will, indeed, be nominated on Monday to head the CIA. The reason for Goss' departure, according to the reporting by Mark Mazzetti, is that both Hayden and John Negroponte, the new Director of National Security, felt that Goss was standing in the way of their planned reforms which will have the impact of significantly reducing the CIA's premier role in intelligence analysis, refocusing it more on the role of combating terrorism and stealing secrets abroad.

This has the ring of truth, especially given the President's well documented reluctance to fire staff. If it is true that Bush either is incapable of discharging high level staff or values loyalty to his staff over a frank assessment of their performance, then the only scenario in which he would be forced to fire someone would be a situation in which he is forced to choose between two or more competing personalities. If one or the other must go, then Bush must choose.

The article also mentions the connection of Goss' number 3 aide, Kyle Foggo, who is expected to resign "in coming days". His connection to defense contractor Brent Wilkes is mentioned. Wilkes, who is mentioned in the indictment of former Congressman Duke Cunningham, is presumed to have been involved in bribery activity. Contrary to much speculation in blogs, based on a story in the NY Daily News, no mention of any connection of Goss to Wilkes and it is noted that Foggo is a long time CIA employee, not one of the so called "Hitler Youth" brought over by Goss from his congressional staff.