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• Leon Panetta was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as CIA director on February 13, 2009. He succeeds Michael Hayden.Reuters: Senate Confirms Leon Panetta to Head CIA (February 13, 2009)

  During his confirmation hearings, Panetta told the Senate Intelligence Committee he believes waterboarding is "torture and it's wrong." He also stated that he would support an iinvestigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee into the techniques used by the CIA to interrogate prisoners after the September 11 attacks.Los Angeles Times: Panetta: Waterboarding is torture (February 5, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Name: Leon Edward Panetta
  2. Born: June 28, 1938
  3. Birthplace: Monterey, CaliforniaPanetta Institute: Leon Panetta, Institute Director
  4. Education: BA, JD, Santa Clara UniversityPanetta Institute: Leon Panetta, Institute Director
  5. Spouse: Sylvia Marie Varni PanettaPanetta Institute: Leon Panetta, Institute Director
  6. Family: three sons, five grandchildrenPanetta Institute: Leon Panetta, Institute Director
  7. Military: First Lieutenant during the Vietnam War, 1964-1966Panetta Institute: Leon Panetta, Institute Director
  8. Employed: Professor at MITNew York Times: Panetta to Be Named C.I.A. Director (January 5, 2009)
  9. Directs the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at California State University at MontereyInternational Herald Tribune: Obama picks Panetta to head CIA (January 5, 2009)
  10. National security experience: member of the Iraq Study Group, sat on the 9/11 CommissionReuters: Obama picks former Clinton aide Panetta for CIA (January 5, 2009)

• A Surprise Move

  On January 9, 2009, then-President-elect Barack Obama formally announced his selection as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency.Las Vegas Sun: Obama names Leon Panetta to head the CIA (January 9, 2009) Panetta's appointment reportedly was not previewed by Democratic Congressional leadership before it was announced to the media, a move which surprised and angered some lawmakers. Senator Dianne Feinstein publicly criticized the choice of a non "intelligence professional" to the post, and being left out of the loop. Even Vice President-Elect Joe Biden called it a "mistake" in procedure, though he supported Obama's choice of Panetta.Washington Post: Biden: Not Notifying Top Sens. on Panetta Choice a 'Mistake' (January 6, 2009)

  Several CIA officials also expressed dissatisfaction with Panetta's appointment and feared that it would do little to help reported problems of low morale and inconsistent leadership at the agency.Washington Post: Obama Is Under Fire Over Panetta Selection (January 7, 2009)

• Quotes

  "He has sufficient gravitas to ensure that CIA equities are going to be protected, and the agency continues to have a strong voice. There may be some people at Langley who will look at this and say, 'What?' But when they stop and think about it, I think they'll be enthusiastic."—unnamed former CIA official to the Washington PostWashington Post: Panetta Picked to Head CIA (January 5, 2009)

  "He (Panetta) will bring a wealth of knowledge of the government to the CIA post and an outside perspective that I think might be helpful at this juncture in the CIA's history."—Lee Hamilton, former chairman of he House Intelligence Committee, co-chair of the Iraq Study GroupMarketWatch: Panetta nominated as CIA head (January 5, 2009)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Chris Strohm | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | CIA | Obama Administration | Dianne Feinstein | John Deutch

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