With US surveillance policy under review, the White House decides to keep one military official in charge of both the NSA and Cyber Command. December 13, 2013 12:59 PM PST (Credit: Declan McCullagh/CNET) It looks like NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander, and his successor, will hold on to the additional role of head of US cyberoperations. The Obama administration has decided that a single military official should continue to head up both the US National Security Agency and US Cyber Command, reported The Wall Street Journal on Friday. CNET has contacted the White House and will update this story when we have more information. Related stories Presidential task force said to recommend overhaul of NSA Snowden says tech capabilities mustn't trump laws and values Snowden revelations spook Hightail's cloud-computing customers The administration concluded the merged position "is the most effective approach to accomplishing both agencies' missions," said the National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden, according to the Journal. Military officials have been considering splitting the role and went so far as to draft a list of possible civilian candidates to lead the NSA. Alexander, who is expected to resign in the spring of 2014, has been head of the NSA since 2005 and took on the role of head of Cyber Command in 2010. The White House's decision, which is part of a wider review of US surveillance policy, comes just days before a presidential task force was expected to submit recommendations that "constitute a sweeping overhaul of the NSA," reported the Journal, citing "people familiar with the plans."
With US surveillance policy under review, the White House decides to keep one military official in charge of both the NSA and Cyber Command.
It looks like NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander, and his successor, will hold on to the additional role of head of US cyberoperations.
The Obama administration has decided that a single military official should continue to head up both the US National Security Agency and US Cyber Command, reported The Wall Street Journal on Friday.
CNET has contacted the White House and will update this story when we have more information.
Related stories
- Presidential task force said to recommend overhaul of NSA
- Snowden says tech capabilities mustn't trump laws and values
- Snowden revelations spook Hightail's cloud-computing customers
The administration concluded the merged position "is the most effective approach to accomplishing both agencies' missions," said the National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden, according to the Journal.
Military officials have been considering splitting the role and went so far as to draft a list of possible civilian candidates to lead the NSA. Alexander, who is expected to resign in the spring of 2014, has been head of the NSA since 2005 and took on the role of head of Cyber Command in 2010.
The White House's decision, which is part of a wider review of US surveillance policy, comes just days before a presidential task force was expected to submit recommendations that "constitute a sweeping overhaul of the NSA," reported the Journal, citing "people familiar with the plans."
