Comings and Goings

John Negroponte is stepping aside as National Intelligence Director to take the number two job at State. I'm not sure what this says about the NID position, how it will be filled and what that might mean for Iraq and our long-term objectives in restructuring our intelligence capabilities, but I'm pleased that Negroponte is staying on at State. Along with the man he will be replacing, Robert Zoellick, Negroponte has been one of the more underrated members of the Bush foreign policy team. Both are real stars. It was a shame to see Zoellick go, but it's nice that Negroponte is staying on and moving to a capacity which might allow him to live to fight another day. Don't be surprised to see him serve as a Secretary of State in a future Republican administration.