Top Secret America by the Washington Post calls efficacy of intelligence services into question

Monday, July 19, saw the release of an investigative report by The Washington Post which concerns the health of the intelligence services of the US Government. The report, Top Secret America, has began a lot of discussion going. Intelligence heavyweights have started to take umbrage with some of the report’s findings. Among Top Secret America’s many claims is the Intelligence Community, first receives the status of a proper noun and second is becoming rapidly disconnected, petty, inefficient and ineffective.

Top Secret America makes unflattering claims

The Washington Post investigation into the report Top Secret America was two years in the making. Since September of 2001, the number of agencies, bureaus, and contracting for intelligence work has grown explosively. The intelligence field is about secrecy, and the total cost and activities of all these groups may not be knowable. The report also claims that the intelligence community is not well suited to efficiency, consensus, and lacks enough focus to be truly effictive. The piece contains references to a recent interview with Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, who bemoans the lack of focus and clear details from the intelligence field.

Intelligence Community fires back

There was a response issued soon after the report from the intelligence field. The national Director of Intelligence, David Gompert, quickly issued a press release that condemned the report for not being truly reflective of the Intelligence Community, and the community itself was constantly working on improving itself.

What the results of the report can be

The report may have a major effect, and it may have none at all. The nature of the spy business is that it is secretive. If a spy operation is successful, no one will know over it until decades later, if at all. However, the U.S. Intelligence Community has had some spectacular failures. The Bay of Pigs, WMDs in Iraq, for instance. The Christmas bomber nearly pulled his plot off, and authorities were tipped off about him. The Fort Hood shooter, a U.S. Army Major, had been communicating with anti-American groups. Despite the public failures, some public successes would perhaps restore many faith in the system.

Discover more information on this topic

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/ (PDF)