The New York Times > Washington > Pentagon Called Major Factor in Defeat of Intelligence Bill

The New York Times > Washington > Pentagon Called Major Factor in Defeat of Intelligence Bill: "WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -

Lawmakers of both parties said today that the Pentagon played a clear role in the defeat of compromise legislation aimed at remaking United States intelligence agencies.

Some legislators said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had made clear his opposition to the proposed overhaul, which would have stripped the Pentagon of some budgetary control over its vast intelligence operations. A Defense Department spokesman denied any such Pentagon involvement.

The Senate intelligence committee chairman, Pat Roberts, Republican of Kansas, was asked why the Republican-controlled House had been unable to pass a measure sought by President Bush and endorsed by the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission and many relatives of victims of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"Some of it is turf, quite frankly," Mr. Roberts said on CNN, "some of it is from the Pentagon."