The departure of Steven Kappes and Michael J. Sulick, the top leaders of the CIA's clandestine service, the directorate of operations, came in a period of chaos at the intelligence agency as the new director, Porter Goss, sought to impose his control, the TV network reported.

Kappes took over from James Pavitt, who left in August.

McLaughlin, who served as acting director of the agency after George Tenet resigned in July, announced his retirement Friday. Hesaid he was leaving for personal reasons. Michael Scheuer, the former head of the CIA's search for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, quit last Thursday.

President George W. Bush tapped Goss, a former CIA officer and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to lead the agency in August.

Kappes and Sulick clashed with deputies Goss brought in from Capitol Hill, the report quoted sources as saying.

Top Republican lawmakers voiced support for Goss on Sunday after the resignations of McLaughlin and Scheuer raised questions about a possible upheaval in the agency, but critics suggested Goss might be doing more harm than good with his efforts to reshape the spy agency. California Rep. Jane Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, accused Goss of bringing a "highly partisan, inexperienced staff" with him when he took office in September.