Fergie's Tech Blog

Analysis: Sulick New Head Spy for CIA

Michael Sulick

CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden has named a new head for the National Clandestine Service, the part of the agency that recruits spies -- or human sources, as they are called by espionage professionals -- for U.S. intelligence.

Michael Sulick, a 25-year agency veteran, was named in an announcement to the workforce by Hayden Friday. He will come out of retirement Monday, the announcement said, and after a two-week transition will take over the service from outgoing chief Jose Rodriguez when the latter leaves at the end of the month.

Hayden called Sulick “a proven leader who understands our agency,” and a “seasoned operations officer,” with “a reputation for superior tradecraft and sound judgment.”

He will inherit an organization whose authorities and prestige have been bolstered over the past two years but that still faces enormous challenges in recruiting sources with access to so-called “hard targets” like global terrorist networks and the secret nuclear programs of states such as North Korea and Iran. And that has a huge proportion of its resources tied up in Iraq.

posted by Fergie @ 9/17/2007 11:12:00 AM