Group of former national security officials endorse Pompeo to lead State
CBS News
Kylie Atwood
April 11, 2018
"On the eve of Mike Pompeo's Thursday confirmation hearing to be Secretary of State, a number of his most prominent backers are making their support for him public. Thirty former government officials with national security experience have written a letter to the top Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, Sens. Bob Corker and Bob Menendez, endorsing the current CIA Director and former Kansas Congressman.
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"'In every single one of these areas, strong American leadership is critical,' they explain. 'We believe that Director Pompeo is a strong choice to lead the Department of State at a time of great uncertainty in the world, where robust leadership from the Department and our nation is needed.
"The list of signatories includes Keith Alexander, who served as the director of the National Security Agency under President George W. Bush and President Obama, and former attorney general Michael B. Mukasey. It was organized by two congressional staffers that worked closely with Pompeo on the hill.
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"Citing the ‘anxious workforce’ that Pompeo faced at the CIA when he arrived, the letter writers say that Pompeo was able to take their pulse and energize the agency. CIA analysts back up the letter's sentiments, citing the way in which Pompeo relied heavily on others' expertise and did not come into the agency with a large team that isolated him from the people who knew the issues best."
"Observers inside and outside the intelligence community say the State Department will be a better fit for Pompeo to advocate for the policies he feels strongly about.
"Pompeo was nominated as the CIA director in a bipartisan vote, with 66 senators voting in his favor." ...
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