President Bush has named a new intelligence chief -- a change in the U.S. national security team that comes as Mr. Bush prepares to unveil a new Iraq strategy. Administration officials are quoted as saying Mr. Bush also will name new military commanders in charge of Iraq.
President Bush has named retired Navy Vice Admiral Mike McConnell to become the next director of national intelligence. Mr. Bush said admiral McConnell, who served as head of the National Security Agency in the 1990s, has the intellect and experience to succeed in the post.
"He has earned our nation's highest award for service in the intelligence community. As DNI, Mike will report directly to me and I am confident he will give me the best information and analysis that America's intelligence community can provide."
Admiral McConnell replaces John Negroponte who will become deputy secretary of state.
The move comes as President Bush prepares this week to unveil a new strategy on Iraq. Mr. Bush has named new military commanders to be in charge of Iraq and the Middle East. Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus, who was in charge of training Iraq's army in 2004, will replace General George Casey.
Navy Admiral William Fallon, who currently heads Pacific Command, will succeed retiring Army General John Abizaid as head of U.S. Central Command.
President Bush is considering temporarily sending more troops to Iraq to help quell the violence, especially in Baghdad.
British Major General Simon Mayall -- who is deputy commander of multinational forces in Iraq -- told reporters a troop surge would be helpful, but so would other measures. "What we need in a counterinsurgency operation is a surge across every element of the campaign, every line of operation. We need a surge in government approach to this issue, and by that I mean the Iraqi government. we need surge in ministerial capacity to carry out their responsibilities -- within a sovereign nation. We need a surge in probably economic activity here. So this is a complex issue," he said.
President Bush will unveil his Iraq strategy this week, which is expected to include new military, political and economic steps to win the war.
