The nation’s top spy says partisan politics is hindering the ability of intelligence officials to deal with the aftermath of the Christmas Day bombing attempt.
Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair is criticizing his own White House bosses for leaks about the case, but he’s not sparing Republicans who quickly politicized the Obama administration’s handling of the terror attempt.
“The political dimension of what to me ought to be a national security issue has been quite high. I don’t think it has been very particularly good, I will tell you, from the inside, in terms of us trying to get the right job done to protect the United States,” Blair told the House Intelligence Committee.
“We’re just trying to bring intelligence and law enforcement to bear to get the right info to make sure that those who threaten our country get behind bars,” Blair said.
Blair’s comments came after sharp questioning from Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) about a Tuesday night briefing held for reporters at the White House. Two senior officials offered new details about Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s interrogation, outlining how counterterrorism agents traveled to Nigeria to enlist help from his family.
“The decision made last night at the White House to be releasing what I would consider to be classified information or damaging information, and I just wondered if the entire intelligence community was consulted before these political decisions were made,” King said.
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) also hammered the White House “broadcast” that Abdulmutallab was talking again. “I can’t figure out a reason that would happen other than political cover,” Thornberry said.
“I have been surprised by the combination of reality and politics having to do with this issue. I just try to do the job, to do the right thing for the country, and I just can’t control all of the politics,” Blair responded.
The White House briefing was aimed at pushing back against pitched Republican attacks about giving Miranda rights to the alleged underwear bomber. Led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Republicans have accused the Obama administration of jeopardizing national security when they read Abdulmutallab his rights after he was arrested in Detroit. - Politico Story
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