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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Impact on liberties weighed

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration warned Friday that the two central reforms proposed by the Sept. 11 commission – creating a powerful intelligence chief and establishing a new counterterrorism center – may remove barriers protecting intelligence from political influence and undermine civil liberties.

The president and his senior advisers are drafting initial orders on some of the commission’s recommendations that could be issued as soon as next week. But action on the centerpiece reforms deserves more consideration, a senior White House official said.

“We need to, in considering each of these recommendations, place a premium and real attention on how to protect civil liberties while better safeguarding our homeland,” the official said.

Similar concerns were expressed by senators Friday during the first congressional hearing on the Sept. 11 commission’s recommendations. The question of how to protect the independence of the intelligence community has become perhaps the most difficult dilemma for policymakers who are otherwise eager to embrace reform.