It has been less than two weeks since Barack Obama’s election and speculation is already rife about the change he intends to bring to Washington"s intelligence community. The Washington Post reported last week that Obama is expected to replace the country"s top two intelligence officials over their support for controversial Bush administration policies like torture and electronic surveillance. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Chief Michael Hayden reportedly wish to remain on the job.

No appointees have been named as yet but questions are already being raised about the people heading Obama"s transition efforts on intelligence policy. John Brennan and Jami Miscik, both former intelligence officials under George Tenet, are leading the review of intelligence agencies and helping make recommendations to the new administration. Brennan has supported warrantless wiretapping and extraordinary rendition and Miscik was involved with the politicized intelligence alleging weapons of mass destruction in the lead up to the war on Iraq.

Melvin Goodman, Former CIA and State Department analyst. He is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and director of the Center’s National Security Project. His latest book is “Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA.” He is also co-author of the book,“Bush League Diplomacy: How the Neoconservatives are Putting the World at Risk.”

Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights. His latest book is “The Trial of Donald Rumsfeld: A Prosecution by Book.”

Related Links

• Melvin Goodman: "Change in Intelligence?"
• Glenn Greenwald: "John Brennan and Bush's Interrogation/Detention Policies"

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