The Hill News

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called for President Obama on Thursday to fire his top intelligence official for saying publicly that he believes Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is likely to hold onto power.

Graham, a top GOP senator on national security and foreign policy issues, said Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be shown the door.

"The situation in Libya remains tenuous and the Director’s comments today on Gaddafi’s 'staying power' are not helpful to our national security interests," Graham said in a statement. "His comments will make the situation more difficult for those opposing Gaddafi."

Clapper said Thursday before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that it was his view that a stalemate in Libya between the Gadhafi government and protesters in the street would eventually mean the dictator would remain in power.

"So I just think from a standpoint of attrition, that over time, I mean this ! kind of a stalemate back and forth, but I think the longer term that the regime will prevail," Clapper said.

Graham said that even if Clapper were speaking accurately, it wasn't appropriate to make such a sensitive observation in a public forum.

"Some of his analysis could prove to be accurate, but it should not have been made in such a public forum. If he felt the need to say what he did, then they should have moved into closed session," Graham said. “Unfortunately, this isn’t the first questionable comment from the DNI Director.  However it should be the final straw.”