Swearing-In Ceremony of CIA Director (VIDEO)

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or CIA and VIDEO, or Nominations and General Michael Hayden or Director Central Intelligence Agency and National Intelligence or John Negroponte and National Security Agency

President Attends Swearing-In Ceremony of CIA Director Michael Hayden, CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia 2:00 P.M. EDT. C-SPAN, (C) 2006 National Cable Satellite Corporation.

President George W. Bush attends the swearing-in of Gen. Michael Hayden as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency by Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Va.,

Wednesday, May 31, 2006. Pictured holding the Bible is Gen. Hayden's wife Jeanine Hayden. White House photo by Eric Draper.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thanks for the warm welcome. It's great to be back with the really fine people here at the Central Intelligence Agency.

I'm honored to be here at the swearing-in of Mike Hayden as America's new Director of the CIA. He's such a good man, we're going to swear him in twice -- (laughter) -- yesterday and today.

Mike is a patriot, he's a reformer, he's one of our nation's finest intelligence professionals. I know firsthand how good this guy is; I've worked with him on some really important issues related to the security of the United States. He brings more than two decades of experience in the intelligence field. He is going to be a superb leader for the dedicated men and women of the CIA.

I appreciate Ambassador Negroponte being with us today, the Director of National Intelligence. I want to thank Attorney General Al Gonzales for joining us, and the Director of the FBI, Bob Mueller, for joining us, as well. But most importantly, thank you all for coming.

I'm proud to serve with you. It is such an honor to serve the United States of America and I appreciate your serving along my side to make America secure. The role of the CIA is critical to the security of the United States. This agency is helping to lead the intelligence war against the terrorists who attacked us on September the 11th, 2001. They continue to plot attacks, and together, we are going to stop them.

The role of the CIA is vital to my doing my job. I cannot do my job without the Central Intelligence Agency. This agency remains the principle provider of intelligence analysis to the President, to the Director of National Intelligence, and to senior national security officials in my administration. As Director of the CIA, Mike will continue the reforms needed. America's leaders are going to have the best possible intelligence, and Mike Hayden is going to work with you to see that that's the case.

I've asked Mike to continue to develop the human intelligence capabilities of the CIA which are essential to understanding the plans and intentions of dangerous regimes and terrorist organizations around the world. I've asked Mike to continue improving the analytical skills of the CIA, which apply the best minds to interpret the intelligence that we gather. I'm confident that under Mike's leadership, the CIA will help us stay ahead of America's enemies and win the war on terror.

The men and women who work here at the CIA have got a tough job and a really important job. You must penetrate closed societies and secretive organizations. You must master foreign languages and deal with unfamiliar cultures. Much of your work is secret, and American lives depend on that work remaining secret. America appreciates the good work you're doing, and so do I.

And in Mike Hayden, you have a leader who recognizes your talents, who understands your challenges, and will ensure that you remain the finest intelligence agency in the world.

In his new position, Mike will build on the good work of Director Porter Goss. Nearly two years ago, I asked Porter to take on a tough assignment, the transformation of the CIA. Porter carried out that assignment with skill and determination. He upheld the high standards and proud tradition of the agency. And he leaves behind a CIA that's stronger than the one he found. And Laura and I wish Porter and his family well as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Mike Hayden succeeds Porter Goss at a time of great change in the world, and great challenge for our intelligence community. Under the leadership of John Negroponte, our intelligence community is growing more integrated and more effective every day. And under the leadership of Mike Hayden, the Central Intelligence Agency will continue to play a critical role in our nation's intelligence enterprise. Mike understands that the CIA must transform to confront new dangers, and do so without slowing the high tempo at which it already operates to protect this country. I'm confident that with Mike Hayden at the helm, the CIA will succeed, and continue to make important contributions to the security of the American people.

As Mike takes on this important assignment, he has my trust, my full trust, and he has the support of a loving family. I'm glad to see his wife, Jeanine, his children and grandchildren, and his father, Harry, and all the other members of the Hayden family who have joined us, as well, today.

I want to thank Mike for agreeing to serve our nation once again, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to do our duty to protect the American people.

Thank you all for coming today. May God bless Mike Hayden, may God bless you all, and may God continue to bless America. (Applause.)

(The oath of office is administered.) (Applause.)

DIRECTOR HAYDEN: Thank you all very much. I will keep this very short. Mr. President, thank you for the honor of placing your confidence in me, and for all of us here and around the world, thank you for the faith you have placed in this agency.

For my family, thank you once again for your continued support. I could not be more grateful. To my new friends and partners here at the Central Intelligence Agency, thank you for the warmth of your welcome over the last 24 hours. The President has laid out in front of us what we have to do, and as I said yesterday in the bubble when I talked to you for the first time, let's just go to work.

Thank you all. (Applause.)

END 2:08 P.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, May 31, 2006

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Iran Statement by Condoleezza Rice (VIDEO)

Technorati Tags: State Department and Secretary of State or Iranian regime and nuclear weapons, or IAEA Board of Governors and President Bush or Condoleezza Rice, or UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and Iran, or VIDEO,

Statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, C-SPAN, (C) 2006 National Cable Satellite Corporation, Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Washington, DC, May 31, 2006, Persian Translation [In PDF Format]

Secretary Rice holds a news conference discussing the nuclear issue with Iran May 31, 2006, at the Department of State in Washington, DC. [AP photo]

The pursuit by the Iranian regime of nuclear weapons represents a direct threat to the entire international community, including to the United States and to the Persian Gulf region. In defiance of repeated calls from the IAEA Board of Governors and from the Security Council, the Iranian government has accelerated its nuclear program while continuing to conceal its activities from international inspectors.

Working with our international partners, the United States is making every effort to achieve a successful diplomatic outcome, but the international community has made clear that the Iranian regime must not acquire nuclear weapons. The vital interests of the United States, of our friends and allies in the region, and of the entire international community are at risk, and the United States will act accordingly to protect those common interests.

Today, the Iranian regime can decide on one of two paths – one of two fundamentally different futures for its people and for its relationship with the international community.

The Iranian government’s choices are clear. The negative choice is for the regime to maintain its current course, pursuing nuclear weapons in defiance of the international community and its international obligations.

If the regime does so, it will incur only great costs.

We and our European partners agree that path will lead to international isolation and progressively stronger political and economic sanctions.

The positive and constructive choice is for the Iranian regime to alter its present course and cooperate in resolving the nuclear issue, beginning by immediately resuming suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, as well as full cooperation with the IAEA and returning to implementation of the Additional Protocol providing greater access for the IAEA.

This path would lead to the real benefit and longer-term security of the Iranian people, the region, and the world as a whole.

The Iranian people believe they have the right to civil nuclear energy. We acknowledge that right. Yet the international agreements Iran has signed make clear that Iran’s exercise of that right must conform with its commitments. In view of its previous violations of its commitments and the secret nuclear program it undertook, the Iranian regime must persuasively demonstrate that it has permanently abandoned its quest for nuclear weapons.

The benefits of this second path for the Iranian people would go beyond civil nuclear energy, and could include progressively greater economic cooperation.

The United States will actively support these benefits both publicly and privately. Furthermore, President Bush has consistently emphasized that the United States is committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear challenge posed by the Iranian regime.

We are agreed with our European partners on the essential elements of a package containing both the benefits if Iran makes the right choice, and the costs if it does not. We hope that in the coming days the Iranian government will thoroughly consider this proposal.

Our British, French and German partners have rightly required that Iran fully and verifiably suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities before the sides can return to negotiations. This is the condition that has been established by the IAEA Board of Governors and by the UN Security Council.

The United States is willing to exert strong leadership to give diplomacy its very best chance to succeed.

Thus, to underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and to enhance the prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table with our EU-3 colleagues and meet with Iran’s representatives.

This morning US representatives have conveyed my statement to Iran through the good offices of the Swiss government, and through Iran’s representative to the United Nations.


Given the benefits of this positive path for the Iranian people, regional security, and the nuclear nonproliferation regime, we urge Iran to make this choice for peace -- to abandon its ambition for nuclear weapons.

President Bush wants a new and positive relationship between the American people and the people of Iran -- a beneficial relationship of increased contacts in education, cultural exchange, sports, travel, trade, and investment. The nuclear issue is not the only obstacle standing in the way of improved relations.

The Iranian government supports terror, is involved in violence in Iraq, and is undercutting the restoration of full sovereignty in Lebanon under UN Security Council Resolution 1559. These policies are out of step with the international community and are barriers to a positive relationship between the Iranian people and the people of the United States and the rest of the world.

Iran can and should be a responsible state, not the leading state sponsor of terror. The United States is ready to join the EU-3 to press these and other issues with the Iranian government in addition to our work to resolve the nuclear danger.

At the same time, we will continue to work with our international partners to end the proliferation trade globally, to bar all proliferators from international financial resources, and to end support for terror. We also intend to work with our friends and allies to strengthen their defensive capacity, counterproliferation and counterterrorism efforts, and energy security capabilities.

Those measures present no threat to a peaceful Iran with a transparent, purely civil nuclear energy program, but provide essential protection for the United States, our friends and allies if the Iranian regime chooses the wrong path.

If the Iranian regime believes that it will benefit from the possession of nuclear weapons, it is mistaken. The United States will be steadfast in defense of our forces, and steadfast in defense of our friends and allies who wish to work together for common security.

The Iranian people have a proud past, and merit a great future. We believe the Iranian people want a future of freedom and human rights-– the right to vote, to run for office, to express their views without fear, and to pursue political causes. We would welcome the progress, prosperity, and freedom of the Iranian people.

The United States looks forward to a new relationship between our peoples that advances these goals. We sincerely hope that the Iranian regime will choose to make that future possible.

END

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