CIA chief’s Egypt remark causes confusion focus 02/12/2011

CIA chief’s Egypt remark causes confusion

focus

02/12/2011
WASHINGTON — CIA Director Leon Panetta on Thursday caused confusion when he suggested Egypt’s president was poised to step down, underscoring Washington’s difficulties in tracking a fast-moving crisis.

Amid furious speculation that Hosni Mubarak was preparing to announce his exit in the face of mass protests — which later proved to be wrong — Panetta appeared to endorse the media reports before a congressional committee.

Asked about news accounts that Mubarak was about to relinquish power, Panetta said: “I got the same information you did, that there’s a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening.”

But a US official later had to explain that Panetta was merely referring to media reports and not privileged information from inside the Central Intelligence Agency.

Panetta also openly speculated about the end of Mubarak’s rule, saying it looked like the vice president, Omar Suleiman, would take over..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110212com3.html