Reforming Intelligence: Selling Change

Abstract

Abstract : The Intelligence Community (IC) is composed of 13 intelligence agencies, including those in the Department of Defense, Justice, Treasury, Energy, State and the Central Intelligence Agency.1 The IC provides foreign intelligence information and specialized support to U.S. policy makers. In May 2001, President George W. Bush established a commission, led by Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft, United States Air Force retired, to study the IC and make recommendations to reorganize and enhanced the performance of the community. The commission's study presumably will focus on the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the national intelligence agencies (NSA, NRO and NIMA) that are a part of the Defense Department. The IC, whose foundation was established in 1947, is a creature of crises. It was developed out of the ashes of crises, namely World War II, and continues to be defined by crises. As a result, there have been many attempts to reform the intelligence community, the role of the DCI, and the role of the Defense Department. For the most part, these attempts have failed, or the reforms were narrowed in scope from what was originally intended. One exception to this was the increased Congressional oversight of the entire intelligence community and the establishment of committees in both the Senate and House to monitor the intelligence community.