WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama yesterday made a surprise request that FBI director Robert Mueller be allowed to stay for two years beyond his 10-year term, which expires in September.
The move would give President Obama some continuity as he shuffles other members of his national security team, including moving CIA director Leon Panetta to head the defence department and nominating his war commander David Petraeus to go to the CIA.
“I believe continuity and stability at the FBI is critical at this time,” the president said. “Bob transformed the FBI after September 11th, 2001, into a pre-eminent counterterrorism agency.” FBI officials expressed surprise at the announcement and said they learned about the proposal only shortly before the White House’s announcement. They had been expecting a decision soon on a replacement for Mr Mueller. “What can you do when the president asks you?” one official said.
The administration for months has been trying to find a successor to Mr Mueller, who joined the FBI just days before the 9/11 attacks and has been at the heart of the effort to overhaul the agency’s mission to focus on terrorism threats. The request for him to stay on would require a change in the US law which limits the term of the FBI director to 10 years.
Mr Mueller has won support from most Democrats and Republicans in Congress. He has worked to reshape the bureau, upgrade its capabilities and integrate operations with other US intelligence agencies. – (Reuters)