Dennis C. Blair

Dennis C. Blair
3rd Director of National Intelligence
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 29, 2009
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	John Michael McConnell
Born	1947 Kittery, Maine United States
Profession	Naval / Intelligence officer
Military service
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1968 – 2002
Rank	Admiral
Battles/wars	War on Terrorism

Dennis Cutler Blair (born February 4, 1947), is the third and current Director of National Intelligence and a retired United States Navy four-star admiral. He was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve in the Obama administration as DNI on 28 January 2009 and took office the next day.^[1][2][3]

Early years

Blair was born in Kittery, Maine in 1947, and was a 6th generation naval officer and Great-Great-Great Grandson of Confederate Chief Engineer William Price Williamson of North Carolina, credited with first suggesting that the hull of the USS Merrimack be used to build the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.^[4] He attended St. Andrew's School (1964), and, as a classmate of Oliver North and James H. Webb, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1968.

Naval career

Admiral Dennis C. Blair, USN
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command

Following his graduation from the Naval Academy, he was assigned to the guided missile destroyer USS Tattnall (DDG-19). He then received a Rhodes Scholarship, majoring in Russian studies at Oxford University, attending during the same time future president Bill Clinton studied there (although President Clinton did not complete the program).^[5] He served as a White House Fellow from 1975-76 with Wesley Clark and Marshall Carter, who later became chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.

Blair spent over 34 years in the United States Navy. He served on guided missile destroyers in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and commanded the Kitty Hawk Battle Group.

His last job in the military was as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, the highest-ranking officer over most of the U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Previously, he was Director of the Joint Staff in the Office of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and served in budget and policy positions on several major Navy staffs and the National Security Council staff. He was also the first Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support. He retired from the Navy in 2002.

Reports of disobeying orders

According to journalist Alan Nairn, Blair disobeyed orders from civilians in the Clinton Administration during the 1999 East Timorese crisis during his tenure as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Command. Amid growing international concern over violence against the independence movement in Indonesian-occupied East Timor, Blair was ordered to meet with General Wiranto, the commander of the Indonesian military, and to tell him to shut down the pro-Indonesia militia. According to Nairn, two days after the Liquiçá Church Massacre, Blair failed to deliver this message; instead he presented Wiranto with an offer of military assistance and a personal invitation to be Blair's guest in Hawaii.^[6] Consequently, Wiranto’s "forces increased the Timor killings".^[7] During his confirmation hearing as Director of National Intelligence, Blair responded to the accusations: "In our conversations with leaders of Indonesia, both military and civilian, we decried and said that the torture and killing that was being conducted by paramilitary groups and some military groups in East Timor had to stop"; "those who say that I was somehow carrying out my own policy or saying things that were not in accordance with American policy are just flat wrong."^[8]

Conflict of interest

His membership on the board of directors of EDO Corporation, a subcontractor for the F-22 Raptor fighter program, and ownership of its stock was raised as a potential conflict of interest after the Institute for Defense Analyses issued a study that endorsed a three-year contract for the program. Blair told the Washington Post, "My review was not affected at all by my association with EDO Corp., and the report was a good one." He originally chose not to recuse himself because he claimed his link to EDO was not of sufficient "scale" to require it, but subsequently resigned from the EDO board to avoid any misperceptions.

However, on December 20, 2006 the Washington Post reported that the US Department of Defense Inspector General's investigation into the affair found Blair had violated IDA's Conflict of Interest rules but did not influence the result of IDA's study. Blair observed, "with all due respect to the Inspector General, I find it hard to understand how I could be criticized for violating conflict of interest standards when I didn't have any influence on the study."^[9]

Decorations and notability

His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters (4 awards), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal with one star (2 awards), as well as numerous other campaign and service awards. He has been decorated by the governments of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Thailand and Taiwan.^[10]

•   Defense Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
•   Defense Superior Service Medal
•   Legion of Merit
•   Meritorious Service Medal
•   Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
•   Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
•   National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal with star

Blair is somewhat renowned in U.S. Naval circles for attempting to water ski behind his destroyer the USS Cochrane (DDG-21) when he was the Skipper.^[11]

Retirement

After retiring from the Navy, Blair held the John M. Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies at The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR)^[12] and the General of the Army Omar N. Bradley Chair of Strategic Leadership at Dickinson College^[13] and the U.S. Army War College^[14]. He was also the President of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a U.S. Government think tank in the Washington, D.C. area focused on national security. He also served as Deputy Executive Director of the Project on National Security Reform.

Director of National Intelligence

Nomination

Dennis C. Blair became the third Director of National Intelligence on January 29, 2009.^[15]

The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network opposed Blair's nomination for Director of National Intelligence, saying "His actions demonstrate the failure of engagement to temper the Indonesian military’s behavior and his actions helped to reinforce impunity for senior Indonesian officials that continues to this day."^[1][16]

During his confirmation, Director Blair indicated he did not support a domestic intelligence agency separate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.^[17] He has also promised to end special interrogation regimes and believes the Intelligence Community must conduct analysis on opportunities as well as threats.^{[18][19][20][21]}

Appointment of Intelligence Community Representatives

In May 2009, Director Blair attempted to exercise his authority to appoint an intelligence officer as his representative abroad, only to have CIA Director Leon Panetta counter his memo with a memo of his own.^[22] Former DNI Mike McConnell and the first DNI, John Negroponte, were both unable to take this community management function away from the CIA, which has been under the CIA's jurisdiction since 1947. ^[23] According to news reports, President Bush had to issue an executive order to give the DNI his congressionally mandated powers to force the CIA and other intelligence agencies to respond to the DNI's demands. A number of government executives agree that the DNI should not have to go to the President each time the DNI wants to implement guidance. ^[24] Late July 2009, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence backed the DNI, asking the CIA to give "prompt adherence" to the DNI's decision. ^[25]

However, on November 10, 2009, the White House decided in the CIA's favor, granting them authority to continue to select the chief U.S. intelligence officer in each country where the U.S. has a presence. Some intelligence experts believe this significantly weakens the DNI's authority, comparing the DNI to a DCI without an agency.^[26]

United States Navy portal

Notes

References

• DNI Official biography
• "We Can Fix Acquisition" By Admiral Dennis C. Blair, U.S. Navy, Proceedings, May 2002
• "A Multicultural Military" By Dennis C. Blair and Joe R. Reeder, The Washington Post, March 22, 2003
• "Leader of Panel That Endorsed Jet Program Has Ties to Contractor" By R. Jeffrey Smith and Renae Merle, The Washington Post, July 25, 2006
• "Ret. Admiral to Resign From Board" By R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, July 27, 2006
• Interview with Dennis Blair on the PBS NewsHour from December 19, 2001.
• "Defense Institute Head Resigns" By R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, September 13, 2006
• "The New Team Dennis C. Blair" By Mark Mazzetti, The New York Times, November 22, 2008
• "Military Power Projection in Asia" By Dennis C. Blair, Strategic Asia 2008-09: Challenges and Choices, The National Bureau of Asian Research 2008

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dennis C. Blair

• "Report: Intel Nominee Adm. Dennis Blair Knew of ’99 East Timor Church Killings Before Crucial Meeting", January 22, 2009; "Obama Aide Admiral Dennis Blair Lie to Congress? ", January 9, 2009; "Obama Nominee Admiral Dennis Blair Aided Perpetrators of 1999 Church Killings in East Timor (Part II)", January 7, 2009; "New Trouble for an Obama Nominee: Admiral Dennis Blair Aided Perpetrators of 1999 Church Killings in East Timor", January 6, 2009; on Democracy Now! (video, audio, and print transcript).

v • d • e United States Directors of National Intelligence Negroponte • McConnell • Blair

v • d • e Obama Administration personnel v • d • e Cabinet and cabinet-level Office Name Term Office Name Term Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 2009– Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner 2009– Secretary of Defense Robert Gates† 2009– Attorney General Eric Holder 2009– Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar 2009– Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack 2009– Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke 2009– Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis 2009– Secretary of Health and   Human Services Kathleen Sebelius 2009– Secretary of Education Secretary of Transportation Arne Duncan Ray LaHood 2009– 2009– Secretary of Housing and Urban   Development Shaun Donovan 2009– Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki 2009– Secretary of Energy Steven Chu 2009– Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano 2009– Vice President Joe Biden 2009– White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009– Director of the Office of Management and   Budget Peter Orszag 2009– Administrator of the Environmental   Protection Agency Lisa Jackson 2009– Ambassador to the United Nations Trade Representative Susan Rice Ron Kirk 2009– 2009– Chair of the Council of Economic   Advisers Christina Romer 2009– †Remained from previous administration. Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet v • d • e Executive Office of the President Office Name Term Office Name Term White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009– National Security Advisor Jim Jones 2009– White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009– Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009– White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009– Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009– Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009– Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes 2009– Senior Advisor to the President Peter Rouse 2009– Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009– Senior Advisor to the President and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement Valerie Jarrett 2009– Deputy National Security Advisor and NSC Chief of Staff White House Communications Director Denis McDonough Anita Dunn 2009- 2009- Director of Public Engagement Christina Tchen 2009– Deputy White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer 2009– Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009– White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009– Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009– Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009– Deputy Director, National Economic Council Diana Farrell 2009– Deputy Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki 2009– Deputy Director, National Economic Council Jason Furman 2009– Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest 2009– Chair of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009– Director of Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009– Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors Christina Romer 2009– White House Counsel Robert Bauer 2009– Member of the Council of Economic Advisors and Staff Director of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board Austan Goolsbee 2009– Deputy White House Counsel Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009– Member of the Council of Economic Advisors Cecilia Rouse 2009– Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Lisa Konwinski 2009– Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009– Executive Clerk George T. Saunders† 2009– Chief Performance Officer and Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget Jeffrey Zients 2009– Director, Office of Political Affairs Chief Technology Officer Patrick Gaspard Aneesh Chopra 2009– 2009– Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget Rob Nabors 2009– Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009– United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009– Director, Office of Presidential Personnel Don Gips 2009– Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009– Director of Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009– Deputy Director, Domestic Policy Council Heather Higginbottom 2009– Director, White House Military Office vacant 2009– Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009– Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009– Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy DeParle 2009– Deputy Cabinet Secretary Liz Sears Smith 2009– Deputy Director, Office of Health Reform Jeanne Lambrew 2009– Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009– Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009– Director, Office of Management and Administration Bradley Kiley 2009– Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Heather Zichal 2009– Director, Oval Office Operations Micaela Fernandez 2009– Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers Edward B. Montgomery 2009– Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009– Director, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009– Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009– Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009– Special Projects Coordinator and Confidential Assistant to the President Eugene Kang 2009– Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009– Chief of Staff to the First Lady Susan Sher 2009– Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy A. Thomas McLellan* 2009– White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009– Director, Office of Urban Affairs Policy Adolfo Carrión, Jr. 2009– Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009– *Senate-confirmation pending.   †Remained from previous administration(s). v • d • e Office of the Vice President Position Appointee Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain Chief of Staff to the Second Lady Catherine Russell Counsel to the Vice President Cynthia Hogan Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President Moe Vela Counselor to the Vice President Mike Donilon Domestic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Terrell McSweeny Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison Evan Ryan Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Jared Bernstein Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications Jay Carney Press Secretary to the Vice President Elizabeth Alexander Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President Alan Hoffman Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President Annie Tomasini Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President Brian McKeon Director of Legislative Affairs Sudafi Henry Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady Carlos Elizondo Director of Communications for the Second Lady Courtney O’Donnell