Profile: Choice to Head CIA Has Long Experience in Intellige

By Deborah Tate

President Bush's nominee¹ to head the Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Congressman² Porter Goss, has long experience with the intelligence community and in politics.

Mr. Goss, a Republican from Florida, is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and in that post, led the congressional probe of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

He also serves on the Homeland Security Committee and the Rules Committee, which is responsible for how legislation is presented. But he is not seeking re-election in November.

Before he was first elected to the House in 1988, Mr. Goss served as a CIA case officer.

After graduating from Yale University, Mr. Goss spent two years with U.S. Army intelligence and then went to work for the CIA from 1962 to 1971. Although he has said little about his time with in the CIA, he once told The Washington Post that he did photograph interpretation³ during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Mr. Goss was forced to retire from the agency when he came down with a debilitating⁴ infection. He became involved in politics when his health improved.

President Bush, in announcing the nomination⁵, praised Mr. Goss' experience with the CIA. "He knows the agency, and he knows what is needed to strengthen it. He understands the importance of human intelligence," he said.

Mr. Goss' nomination comes amid an overhaul⁶ of the U.S. intelligence community and as the CIA is struggling to address intelligence failures relating to the September 11th attacks and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, which have never been found.

Mr. Goss, who must be confirmed by the Senate, says he is ready for the job. "The essence of our intelligence capability⁷ is people. And we have some wonderful Americans doing a great job," he said. "I used to be part of them when I worked for CIA. I'm very proud to be associated with them again."

President Bush's challenger for the White House, Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, called for "fair, bipartisan and expeditious¹⁰ confirmation¹¹ hearings" for Mr. Goss. He also expressed hope Mr. Goss would support the creation of what he called a more important position, that of national intelligence director who would coordinate¹² intelligence matters, as recommended by the bipartisan commission that investigated the September 11 attacks.

Other senators praised the nomination. Senator John Warner, a Virginia Republican and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that Mr. Goss would serve as "an important bridge between the executive branch and the legislative¹³ branch" as the government works together "to build the best intelligence community possible."

But some Democrats¹⁴ believe Mr. Goss, who has been a vocal¹⁵ supporter of President Bush, is too political for the CIA job.

The top Democrat⁸ on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, was asked about Mr. Goss as a potential nominee for CIA director last month on NBC's Meet the Press.

"I do not think that anybody up for consideration should have a political background," he said.

The Republican chairman of the panel, Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, had a different view.

"I do not know anybody in Washington who does not have a political background of some sort," he said. "There has been a statement by those on Jay's side that he is too partisan⁹. I do not happen to share that view."

If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Goss would succeed George Tenet, who resigned last month. Acting¹⁶ Director John McLaughlin is running the agency now.

注释:
nominee 被任命者
interpretation 解释
debilitating 衰弱的
essence 本质
challenger 挑战者
recommended 被推荐的
bipartisan 两党连立的

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

3 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

4 debilitating   

a.使衰弱的

参考例句：

• The debilitating disease made him too weak to work. 这个令他衰弱的病，使他弱到没有办法工作。
• You may soon leave one debilitating condition or relationship forever. 你即将永远地和这段霉运说拜拜了。

5 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

6 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 expeditious   

adj.迅速的，敏捷的

参考例句：

• They are almost as expeditious and effectual as Aladdin's lamp.他们几乎像如意神灯那么迅速有效。
• It is more convenien,expeditious and economical than telephone or telegram.它比电话或电报更方便、迅速和经济。

11 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

12 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

13 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

14 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

16 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。