When I came to the CIA in the mid-'90s our graduating class of case officers was unbelievably low. Now after years of rebuilding our training programs and putting our best efforts to recruit the most talented men and women we are graduating more clandestine officers than at any time in the history of the Central Intelligence Agency.
As a nation we have over the past seven years been rebuilding our intelligence with powerful capabilities that many thought we would no longer need after the Cold War. We have been rebuilding our clandestine service our satellite and other technical collection our analytical depth and expertise.
I think intelligence is usually sexy until it becomes irritating. After that you're stuck.
The day after the prison was transferred to the military intelligence command they had an entire battalion - 1 200 1 500 soldiers - arrive at Abu Ghraib just for force protection alone.
In November they transferred control of Abu Ghraib to the military intelligence command completely it was after all the center for interrogations for Iraq.
Legislation passed in the aftermath of September 11 2001 enhanced our intelligence capabilities and strengthened our national defense but until now our nation's immigration policies have not adapted to the needs of a post-September 11th world.
This president has been reluctant to hold anybody accountable. No one was held accountable after September the 11th. Nobody's been held accountable after the clear flaws in intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq.
Schools are not intended to moralize a wicked world but to impart knowledge and develop intelligence with only two social aims in mind: prepare to take on one's share in the world's work and perhaps in addition lend a hand in improving society after schooling is done.
The Clinton White House today said they would start to give national security and intelligence briefings to George Bush. I don't know how well this is working out. Today after the first one Bush said 'I've got one question: What color is the red phone?'
In the aftermath of September 11 and as the 9/11 Commission report so aptly demonstrates it is clear that our intelligence system is not working the way that it should.