- Title: U.S. spy chief says has submitted letter of resignation
- Date: 17th November 2016
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) WIDE SHOT U.S. CONGRESSIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HEARING IN PROGRESS U.S. DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SCHIFF (LEFT) AND U.S. REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE DEVIN NUNES (RIGHT) DIRECTOR OF U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, JAMES CLAPPER, SPEAKING ON PANEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, JAMES CLAPPER, SAYING: "I submitted my letter of resignation last night, which felt pretty good. I've got 64 days left, and I think I'd have a hard time with my wife anything past that." SCHIFF ASKING QUESTION CLAPPER SPEAKING ON PANEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, JAMES CLAPPER, SAYING: "I don't anticipate a significant change in Russian behavior. We gave considerable thought to diming out Russia with that statement. We waited until we felt we had sufficient basis for it and we did, both from a forensic and as well as other sources of intelligence that led us to that statement. It may have had the desired effect, since after that, after the issuance of the statement and the communication that I know took place between our government and Russian government, it seemed to have curtailed the cyber activity that the Russians were previously engaged in. Russians have a very active and aggressive capability to conduct information operations, so-called hybrid-warfare. That's been a long-standing practice of theirs going back to the Soviet era, and I anticipate that it will continue." WIDE SHOT HEARING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, JAMES CLAPPER, SAYING: "No, I don't, at least right now. The Russians recently deployed their lone carrier and are conducting ops (operations) off of that. They have sustained the presence of their artillery and the deployment of very advanced air defense systems. And so at least, I think that what that indicates that clearly the Russians are there to stay. They want to maintain a presence and the base in Syria as their only base outside the former Soviet Union, a permanent base that they maintain. And I expect they're planning on expanding their presence at Tartous (in Syria) to support naval operations in the eastern Med. (Mediterranean)" VARIOUS OF CLAPPER SEATED ON PANEL
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 16:11
- Keywords: James Clapper director U.S. National Intelligence resignation Russia Syria
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00158U3MTJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Director of U.S. National Intelligence James Clapper said on Thursday (November 17) that he submitted his letter of resignation but would stay until the end of the Obama administration.
"I submitted my letter of resignation last night, which felt pretty good. I've got 64 days left," Clapper said during a U.S. congressional intelligence committee hearing.
Clapper, 75, has served as the U.S. top spy since 2010 and has said for months he intended to step down when President Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Clapper's service in government spans six decades, beginning in the 1960s as a U.S. Air Force officer.
During the hearing, he said Russia was planning on expanding its presence at its naval base in Tartous, Syria to support its naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean.
Clapper also said he did not expect a "significant change in Russian behavior" when asked about Russia's hacking activities. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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