Updated on
Summary
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she is frustrated over the failure to name a new head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which she calls a priority.Clinton, addressing USAID staff who asked why there was no administrator and deputy six months into President Barack Obamas administration, complained about what she called an increasingly burdensome vetting process.Weve worked very hard with the White House on looking for a candidate, said Clinton who has promised a shift from the Bush administrations reliance on military force to a balance between defense, diplomacy and development.The clearance and vetting process is a nightmare. It takes far longer than any of us would want to see, it is frustrating beyond words, the chief US diplomat told hundreds of USAID staff and contractors.Clinton said some good prospects for the job were daunted by the vetting process.She said prospective candidates who were not wealthy but otherwise financially sound were turned off by the need to hire lawyers and accountants as they prepare for background checks.
