by Stephanie Griffith
WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (AFP) - Opposition Democrats on Tuesday questioned the independence of new CIA director Porter Goss, when the leading Republican, a former spy, appeared before a Senate panel looking into his nomination.
The US Senate is expected to pass the nomination of Goss, who will have to carry out major reforms of the Central Intelligence Agency, but Democrats said they had many concerns about the choice of President George W. Bush.
"I do have a number of concerns about whether your past partisan actions or statements will allow you to be that type of non-partisan, independent and objective national intelligence director that our country needs," the Senate Intelligence Committee`s top Democrat, John Rockefeller, said.
"You have made a number of statements relative to intelligence matters ... that are highly, in my judgment, partisan, and display a willingness on your part to use intelligence issues as a political broad sword against members of the Democratic Party," Rockefeller added.
Democrats have been have been especially critical of recent statements by Goss on behalf of Bush and against the president`s Democratic rival for the White House, Senator John Kerry.
Goss assured the panel however, that he would be a fair and objective CIA director. "You have my word on that," he said.
The hearing comes as Congress is considering numerous proposals by lawmakers, as well as by the White House, to overhaul US intelligence -- a revamping which leaves Goss without a clear job description.
"Congressman Goss has been nominated for a position which is not likely to exist for much longer," intelligence chairman Pat Roberts remarked at the hearing.
The Republican chairman noted that several recent proposals contemplate the creation of a overarching intelligence "czar" to coordinate US intelligence from various groups -- including the CIA.
"It will take significant structural change to affect real reform," said Roberts, who is himself author of proposed legislation that would carve up the spy agency.
Despite the uncertainty, Roberts who staunchly backs Goss for the top spy post, saying the Florida lawmaker is the ideal candidate to run the CIA until the intelligence overhaul takes place.
"We don`t know how or when reform will be enacted. Until then, we need a strong director of central intelligence with the necessary skills to manage a community which is in dire need of a leader," he said.
Goss vowed to work tirelessly to deter future terrorist attacks on the United States, which has become the focus of US security since the September 11 attacks in 2001.
"As Americans, we are confronted by a brutal enemy who prefers to murder innocents, who continues to strike our military men and women, who bombs our embassies, who is committed to the destruction of not only our economy, but our way of life," Goss told the committee.
"In this battle, good intelligence is crucial. We must deliver a solid reliable product for our decision makers," he said. "That is our core business."
A longtime Republican member of the House of Representatives, Goss was nominated last month by Bush to replace George Tenet, who stood down as director in July facing strong criticism over the failure to head off the September 11 attacks and the information used to justify the Iraq war.
Prior to entering Congress, the Florida lawmaker spent more than 10 years as a spy. He had been chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee, playing a central role in congressional efforts to probe intelligence failures leading up to September 11.
If confirmed, Goss would be only the the second congressman, after the elder George Bush, to become director of the CIA.
His nomination is expected to clear the committee and receive confirmation by the full Senate without major problems.