Just 16 months into his tenure as director of America's national intelligence system, Adm. Dennis Blair has resigned.His move comes after a year of controversy in what is unlikely to ever be an uncontroversial position. BBC News notes that "His term of office saw the Fort Hood shooting, the Christmas Day bomb plot and the failed Times Square bomb plot. He drew fire for the Christmas Day plot when he said special interrogation teams promised had not yet been formed. This was despite a decision to form the teams months earlier. The final straw may have been the report from the Senate Intelligence Committee, which came out this week, citing 'systemic failure' across U.S. intelligence."
Blair's exit from the hot seat at the center of a very politicized line of work takes place after "a series of high-profile clashes with the CIA" and that damaging Senate report, according to NPR.
Blair addressed The Commonwealth Club on September 15, 2009, describing his role, the threats facing the United States and its interests, and more. You can watch the video of his speech and the audience Q&A below.
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