Let's be honest with ourselves; the only reason Leon Panetta is the choice for director of Central Intelligence Agency is because he is completely clean regarding wire-taps and torture. He's completely clean in regards to those controversial programs because he never worked intelligence. Beyond the Iraq Study Group, Leon Panetta never worked intelligence. Even regarding foreign policy, his credentials are limited to his time in the House of Representatives; by the way, he never once served on a committee in Congress that is involved with foreign policy. Leon Panetta will not have the respect of the career-staff within the Central Intelligence Agency. Why would they respect him?
While he was a member of the President's Commission of Foreign Languages and International Studies, that isn't particularly impressive for someone seeking to be the head of Central Intelligence Agency.
While he was at one time President Clinton's chice of staff, that isn't particularly impressive for someone seeking to be the head of Central Intelligence Agency.
His experience is focused on budgets. He was the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on the Budget and the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget. He also worked as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee's Siubcommittee on Domestic Marketing, Consumer Relations, and Nutrition, the Administration Committee's Subcommittee on Personnel and Police, Chairman of the Task Force on Domestic Hunger, and the Vice Chairman of the Caucus of Vietnam-Era Veterans in Congress.
If anyone can tell me with a straight face that Leon Panetta is absolutely qualified to be the Director of Central Intelligence Agency, than they are full of it. Don't get me wrong, Panetta knows some stuff; he was, after all, a member of the Iraq Study Group. I'm sure he learned a thing or two by being around those heavy-weights. Yet he was not a major player in that group, and I really don't see how he ended up being the "best choice" out of so many other possibilities. I honestly don't see how. Sure, he may be "clean" regarding the controversies of the Bush Administration(because he was hundreds of miles away from the intelligence community) yet there are plenty of capable hands who are equally clean, and who actually have some experience regarding intelligence.
UPDATE
DIANE FEINSTEIN, who will be the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee overseeing the confirmation process, just slammed the pick in a written statement;
" 'I was not informed about the selection of Leon Panetta to be the CIA Director. I know nothing about this, other than what I've read,' said Senator Feinstein, who will chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the 111th Congress.
" 'My position has consistently been that I believe the Agency is best-served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time.'"
It seems Jay Rockefeller, the out-going chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wasn't consulted either. He's also not for Panetta.
I don't see how the Republicans, along with moderate/conservative Democrats, will get on board with the Panetta confirmation. I just don't see it happening.