5-6-96. Time: "Master of the Game. The formidable John Deutch is becoming the most powerful CIA chief ever." This power didn't fall accidentally into Deutch's lap; he has lobbied hard for it. While he mouthed technocratic demurrals before the Senate committee, promising not to be too "intrusive" and humbly noting that "my Cabinet colleagues have concerns about how future DCI's would, over the long term, play a role in this concurrence," it was clearly time for the winner to take all. The CIA is already upgrading many of its techniques: breaking into computer systems, intercepting faxes, experimenting with dead drops in cyberspace to receive secrets. The big-ticket spending that is out of control has been satellites. The CIA wants to build $1 billion-apiece "8X" spy satellites to photograph targets, even though it has sitting in warehouses about half a dozen satellites that have the capacity to take pictures for the next decade. But satellites may simply not be that useful. A secret CIA study recently concluded that satellites provide less than 10% of the valuable signal intelligence collected from such rogue states as Iraq and Iran. Most such data are scooped up by ground stations or via phone taps. There is deep anxiety at Langley that Deutch's grab for power is designed to advance his own career. OCT_pus ----- William Safire adds to this in 5-6-96 NYT: www.nytimes.com.