Negroponte's Small Victories

It's beginning to look like National Intelligence Director John Negroponte is exactly the kind of guy who can fill the vacuum created by the legislation mandating his ill-defined post. Last week he scored a couple of key victories: First, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, withdrew an effort to limit Negroponte's ability to transfer up to 100 employees within the intelligence community. Then the White House forced the FBI to accept an independent commission's recommendation to give Negroponte a role in appointing an intelligence chief at the agency. In a new position like Negroponte's, with only vague authority over turf-conscious agencies, every little battle is important. He's won a few key ones already.