Via First Read, it looks like John Brennan won't be head of the CIA after all, possibly because of questions raised about his positions on torture and extraordinary rendition. Brennan is unequivocal about withdrawing his name for any potential role in the intelligence apparatus of the new administration, writing, "I respectfully ask that my name be withdrawn from consideration for a position within the Intelligence Community." Earlier in the letter, he answers his critics:
It has been immaterial to the critics that I have been a strong opponent of many of the policies of the Bush Administration such as the preemptive war in Iraq and coercive interrogation tactics, to include waterboarding. The fact that I was not involved in the decisionmaking process for any of these controversial policies and actions has been ignored. Indeed, my criticism of these policies within government circles was the reason why I was twice considered for more senior level positions in the current Administration only to be rebuffed by the White House.
As I said before, Brennan seemed to subscribe the the big picture of Obama's foreign policy approach, even if in the past he seemed to support many of the controversial policies Obama had promised to end, precisely because they undermine that approach. The question is, now that Brennan has withdrawn, whether Obama can find a candidate to head the CIA who will have similar credibility in intra-agency circles, reflects Obama's own beliefs about foreign policy, and has actively opposed "enhanced interrogation" and extraordinary rendition. Given how little we've heard about alternatives to Brennan, this may be exceedingly difficult.
-- A. Serwer
