US News
CIA Director Porter Goss resigns
By DPA
May 5, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - In a surprise move Porter Goss Friday resigned as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after only 19 months in office.

President George W. Bush said in a White House news conference that he accepted the resignation. No replacement has been named.

Goss, who was an undercover CIA agent, became the agency\'s director in September 2004. The appointment followed a 16-year career in the US House of Representatives, where he chaired the Intelligence Committee for several years.

Goss took over the agency from George Tenet in one of its most difficult times. The CIA had been harshly criticized for intelligence failures leading up to the invasion of Iraq and its inability to uncover the plot of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Tenet, who had been appointed by President Bill Clinton, had called the evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction a \'slam dunk.\'

During the news conference, Goss siad it had been a \'very distinct honour and privilege to serve\' both Bush and \'the people of the country and the employees of the Central Intelligence Agency.\'

He added that the US spy agency \'is on a very even keel; it\'s sailing well.\'

Shortly after taking office, Goss was criticized over placing congressional aides in key positions and several high-ranking CIA career officials left their jobs.

When Bush created the position of director of national intelligence following the recent intelligence failures, Goss was widely believed to have sought the position. But he publicly praised John Negroponte, the eventual nominee, as a good candidate for the job.

During Friday\'s news conference, Bush touted his close personal relationship to Goss and thanked him for his service, integrity and \'candid advice.\'

\'He honours the proud history of the CIA, an organization that is known for its secrecy and accountability,\' Bush said.

The president also praised Goss\' five-year plan to increase the number of CIA operatives and analysts. This, Bush said, \'is going to help make this country a safer place and help us win the war on terror.\'