Security

Bush Signs Intelligence Reform Legislation

Law creates new national intelligence director post
17 December 2004

[W] has signed legislation that will dramatically change the nation's intelligence-gathering system and strengthen efforts to thwart the threat of terrorism. The law creates a director of national intelligence with broad, strategic authority over budgets, personnel and missions. It also creates the National Counterterrorism Center, which will direct terrorist-related intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations for the United States.    » read more »

History of Intelligence Reform Reflects Past Contingencies

Previous efforts have also been extensive
17 December 2004
By Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington File Staff Writer

(This is the second article in a continuing series.)

Washington -- Established in 1947 to prevent another Pearl Harbor-like sneak attack on the United States, the U.S. intelligence community is about to undergo the most sweeping overhaul since its inception as the result of another surprise assault: the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.    » read more »

President Directs CIA To Increase Analysts, Operatives

Move follows recommendations from 9/11 Commission
24 November 2004

While acknowledging the progress the CIA has already made in rebuilding its intelligence capabilities, [W] directed the agency to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to increase the number of its intelligence analysts and field operatives.    » read more »

Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD (Duelfer Report)

The Duelfer Report relays the findings of the Special Advisor to the Director of Central Intelligence on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction.
October 7, 2004

Key Findings of the Duelfer Report: Saddam Husayn so dominated the Iraqi Regime that its strategic intent was his alone. He wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction (WMD) when
sanctions were lifted.    » read more »

Kerry Campaign Statement on Administration Shifting Money from Iraqi Reconstruction to Security

September 14, 2004
Kerry-Edwards Campaign Press Release

Washington, DC - Statement from National Security Advisor for John Kerry, Rand Beers, in response to the Bush administration’s announcement to shift nearly $3.5 billion of the $18.4 billion in Iraqi reconstruction aid to security: "Sixteen months after the President announced the end of major combat operations, the security situation in Iraq is a nightmare."    » read more »

CIA Nominee Pledges Objective, Precise Intelligence

Congressional Report, September 14: Porter Goss Confirmation Hearing

14 September 2004

Washington -- The man nominated by [W] to head the Central Intelligence Agency says he can provide the president with the objective and precise intelligence needed to enhance the country's national security. U.S. Representative Porter Goss also said he can be non-partisan in his approach to the director's job. Goss testified September 14 at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.    » read more »

CIA Head Granted Interim Powers of National Intelligence Director

White House summarizes August 27 executive orders, presidential directives
28 August 2004

Executive orders and presidential directives intended to ensure the most comprehensive and accurate intelligence information is available to support counterterrorism were summarized in a fact sheet issued by the White House August 27. The initiatives, signed by [W] on August 27, are consistent with the recommendations made by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9-11 Commission) and build on intelligence reforms already undertaken by the Bush administration, according to the fact sheet.    » read more »

President Bush Signs Order to Create National Terrorism Center

CIA director will appoint center's director
27 August 2004

[W] signed an executive order August 27 that will create a new National Counterterrorism Center. With the president's approval, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency will appoint the director of the new center. The center and its director will report to the CIA director according to the terms of the executive order issued by the White House.    » read more »

Bush Acts to Broaden Authority Vested in CIA Director

CIA director should have access to all foreign, national intelligence
27 August 2004

[W] signed an executive order August 27 to broaden the authority vested in the director of Central Intelligence so that the director will be the principal adviser to the president as well as to the National Security and Homeland Security councils. As a part of his effort to implement intelligence reforms in the wake of recommendations made by the 9-11 Commission, the president called on all federal agencies to share with the CIA director all foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and national intelligence related to threats from transnational terrorists, as well as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.    » read more »

New Air Passenger Prescreening System Announced

Agency says it will take over responsibility from airlines
26 August 2004

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin before the end of the year to test a new passenger prescreening system after shelving the previous version due to privacy concerns. Under the new program, called Secure Flight, TSA will take over from airlines responsibility for checking airline passengers' names against "greatly expanded" terrorist watch lists, the agency announced in an August 26 press release. The change was recommended by the bipartisan National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, known as the 9-11 Commission.    » read more »

Bush Nominates Florida Congressman as CIA Director

Porter Goss currently heads U.S. House Intelligence Committee

10 August 2004

U.S. Representative Porter Goss, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was nominated August 10 by [W] to become the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency. "Porter Goss is a leader with strong experience in intelligence and in the fight against terrorism. He knows the CIA inside and out. He is the right man to lead this important agency at this critical moment in our nation's history," Bush said in announcing his nomination at the White House. The Florida Congressman will now have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.    » read more »

A Nation on Alert

Op-ed by Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge
09 August 2004

This column by Tom Ridge, who is Secretary of Homeland Security, was published in The Wall Street Journal on August 9.    » read more »

George W. Bush: 1,298 Days Later

American Families Are Still Waiting For a Domestic Agenda
July 22, 2004
Kerry Campaign Press Release

You don't suddenly become president when its time to run for reelection. In the 1,298 days since Bush took office, 4 million have lost health insurance, 1.8 million jobs have been lost and four million young people have dropped out of high school. That's what a lack of a domestic agenda will do for a nation. It shouldn’t take a political campaign to focus on families.    » read more »

Letter from George J. Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence, in response to The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005

24 June 2004

Posted Letter from George Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence, in response to The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 as reported by the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House of Representatives Report 108-558    » read more »

Remarks by Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet on His Resignation to Employees of the Central Intelligence Agency and the US Intelligence Community

3 June 2004
CIA Press Release
(Begin transcript)

George Tenet: For the past nine years, I've been privileged to be part of a great American family: the family of American intelligence. I've lived in the heart of the CIA family.    » read more »