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Repairing Intelligence
The recently enacted intelligence reform law gives the new director of national intelligence, or DNI, powers to reshape the U.S. intelligence establishment. But are they enough?
- Budget: The power of the purse
- The DNI will provide "guidance for developing the National Intelligence Program budget," and will "develop and determine an annual consolidated" budget. The DNI will not determine budgets for most Defense Department intelligence activities, but rather "participate in [their] development" with the Defense secretary. The DNI can transfer funds within the program only with approval from the Office of Management and Budget director. The transfer must be to a "higher priority" activity, less than $150 million and "less than 5 percent of amounts available" to the affected agency, and cannot terminate an acquisition program.
- Personnel: Hiring, Firing and Getting Ahead
- The DNI will make "policies and programs . . . that encourage and facilitate" employee movement among agencies. Promotion to certain positions will require such rotations. The law does not create an intelligence service or clearly defined career development paths for employees. The DNI is to ensure the recruitment of "women, minorities and individuals with diverse ethnic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds." The CIA director retains the authority to fire agency employees. The DNI will approve candidates to head intelligence agencies.
- Information: The need to know
- The DNI will set "objectives, priorities and guidance" for intelligence collection, analysis, dissemination and access, and will approve requests for collection and analysis. This authority will not override the Defense secretary's vis-à-vis Defense intelligence agencies. Federal, state, local and private sector groups will exchange terrorism intelligence in an "information-sharing environment."
- Standards: Setting them
- The DNI will "set standards for education, training and career development of" civilian intelligence employees; "establish common information technology standards;" and set policies and procedures that "encourage sound analytic methods." The DNI will not have new authority to classify information.
- The national Counterterrorism Center: Where it all comes together
- The new center will take the lead on "analyzing and integrating all intelligence" on foreign terrorism and counterterrorism. It can receive information on domestic terrorism from other agencies. It cannot direct operations against terrorist groups, but it will plan strategies to attack those groups.
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