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The fact that no National Intelligence
Estimate has been completed on Afghanistan and Pakistan, for example,
is, at this stage, unconscionable. Were Generals David Petraeus
and Stanley McChrystal able to head off an NIE, lest its conclusions
brand their plans for Afghanistan the "march of folly" that it is?
Ever since President Truman set up
the CIA, the preparation of a National Intelligence Estimate has been
de rigueur before important the President would make important decisions
on foreign, and particularly military, policies. Was the new layer-laden
intelligence bureaucracy unable to get its act together in time to give
this customary support to the President?
The National Counterterrorism Center?
Also unnecessary; a benighted idea. The recent attempt by Mr.
Abdulmutallab to bring down a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight
speaks volumes about the NCTC's effectiveness and the kind of leadership
exercised by John Brennan--a clone of George Tenet.
We are told that Brennan is supposed
to coordinate things at the National Security Council...or is Director
of National Intelligence Admiral Blair supposed to do that?".or Panetta?
...or the Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security? ...or maybe the FBI?"-- Ugh.
Can you tolerate still more? This just in. President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he has appointed John Brennan to lead a "thorough investigation" into how the people under his general aegis screwed up regarding the Abdulmutallab affair. I do not often quote Ollie North, but "Hey, is this a great country, or what!"
As for the Department of Homeland
Security"just look, if you will, at what has happened to the Secret
Service and to the Transportation Security Administration--not to mention
FEMA and Katrina. Double ugh.
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What one reform would you recommend that might improve information
sharing among agencies working to prevent terrorist attacks?
HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
More "reform" is the last thing
we need. And, sorry, but we DO have to look back.
The most effective step would be to
release the CIA Inspector General report on intelligence community performance
prior to 9/11. That investigation was run, and its report was
prepared, by an honest Inspector General, it turns out. (Interestingly,
he retired almost a year ago and has not been replaced. According
to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, the name "Inspecteur Clouseau"
sits atop the short list.)
Actually, the Inspector General report
fixed blame and named names. So it was immediately suppressed
by one of those named, then-Acting DCI John McLaughlin--another Tenet-clone.
McLaughin's successors as Director, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden, and
now Leon Panetta followed suit.
Accountability is key. If there
is no accountability, there is total freedom to screw up, and screw
up royally, without any thought of possible personal consequences.
Not only is it certain that we will
face more terrorist attacks, but the keystone-cops nature of recent
intelligence operations ". whether in using cell phones in planning
kidnappings in Italy, or in allowing suicide bombers to penetrate CIA
bases in Taliban-infested eastern Afghanistan".will continue.
Not to mention the screw-up in the case of Abdulmutallab.
Sadly, instead of accountability, there
is likely to be misguided--and counterproductive--vengeance.
After all, the word in Langley is "seven of ours" have now been
killed. Anonymous intelligence officials are already warning openly
about payback!
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