White House to Endorse WMD Panel's Changes

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - The White House wants dozens of changes to the embattled U.S. spy agencies and will direct the Justice Department to consolidate its intelligence efforts, heeding almost all of the 74 recommendations of a blue-ribbon intelligence commission.

The broad acceptance of the panel's suggestions comes after a 90-day review led by the National Security Council's homeland security adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend.

~snip~

The commission proposed forming a new National Counter Proliferation Center — with a staff of less than 100 — to coordinate the U.S. government's collection and analysis of intelligence on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The task now performed by many national security agencies.


The individuals familiar with the review said the White House plans to adopt changes large and small proposed by the commission, but they did not say which were not being accepted Wednesday. They said those recommendations should not be considered rejected yet, but rather issues that require further action.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050629/ap_on_go_pr_wh/intelligence_commission_5

[Supersedeas]

1. we'll do somethings and sit on the rest

[maddezmom]

2. updated headline: Bush OKs Shake-Up of Spy Agencies

WASHINGTON - President Bush, embracing nearly all of the recommendations of a blue-ribbon intelligence commission, said Wednesday he was creating a national security service within the FBI to specialize in intelligence as part of a shake-up of the nation's disparate spy agencies.

A fact sheet describing the White House's broad acceptance of the panel's suggestions said that three recommendations would be studied and that one unidentified recommendation — which was classified — was being rejected. The decisions come after a 90-day review led by the National Security Council's homeland security adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend.

Along with the list of changes being heeded, Bush also issued an executive order freezing assets of individuals or groups involved in activities related to the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

The changes being adopted include directing the Justice Department to consolidate its counterterrorism, espionage and intelligence units. Bush also will ask Congress to create a new assistant attorney general position to help centralize those operations.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050629/ap_on_go_pr_wh/intelligence_commission_10