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| Negroponte to become Rice deputy | Negroponte to become Rice deputy |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US National Intelligence Director John Negroponte is to leave his post to become the deputy to Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, officials said. | US National Intelligence Director John Negroponte is to leave his post to become the deputy to Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, officials said. |
| A career diplomat, Mr Negroponte, 67, was named in April 2005 as the US's first intelligence chief, responsible for overseeing all spy agencies. | A career diplomat, Mr Negroponte, 67, was named in April 2005 as the US's first intelligence chief, responsible for overseeing all spy agencies. |
| His new post is expected to be formally announced later on Thursday. | His new post is expected to be formally announced later on Thursday. |
| The nomination will have to be approved by the US Senate, where Democrats now hold the balance of power. | The nomination will have to be approved by the US Senate, where Democrats now hold the balance of power. |
| Mr Negroponte served as US ambassador to the UN from 2001-04 and ambassador to Baghdad until March 2005. | Mr Negroponte served as US ambassador to the UN from 2001-04 and ambassador to Baghdad until March 2005. |
| His appointment as the first US National Intelligence Director, reporting directly to President George W Bush, was seen as a significant promotion. | His appointment as the first US National Intelligence Director, reporting directly to President George W Bush, was seen as a significant promotion. |
| Challenges | Challenges |
| The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says this switch to become Ms Rice's deputy may be seen by some as a strange career move - but it may also reflect the considerable diplomatic challenges the administration now faces. | The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says this switch to become Ms Rice's deputy may be seen by some as a strange career move - but it may also reflect the considerable diplomatic challenges the administration now faces. |
| News of the appointment comes as President Bush is set to announce a new strategy for Iraq, where US policy is widely regarded as a failure. | |
| If his nomination is confirmed by senators, Mr Negroponte would replace Robert Zellick, who stood down in July. | If his nomination is confirmed by senators, Mr Negroponte would replace Robert Zellick, who stood down in July. |
| But with Democrats holding the balance of power in the Senate, the confirmation may not be an easy task, our correspondent says. | But with Democrats holding the balance of power in the Senate, the confirmation may not be an easy task, our correspondent says. |
| Questions have already been raised about his involvement in the illegal funding of the Contra rebels in Nicaragua in the 1980s. | Questions have already been raised about his involvement in the illegal funding of the Contra rebels in Nicaragua in the 1980s. |
| It is unclear who might replace him in his current position. | It is unclear who might replace him in his current position. |