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26 April 2015

Former DIA Chief Lists Needed U.S. Intelligence Reforms

David Shedd and Matthew F. Ferraro
April 21, 2015

Ten years ago this month, the American intelligence agencies were reorganized to prevent another 9/11. Now the Intelligence Community needs even more radical transformation as national-security challenges grow, budgets decrease, and questions arise about intelligence’s place within an open society. The key to addressing these challenges will be building a more integrated intelligence enterprise that demonstrates its value to the American people. We recommend six major initiatives.

1. The CIA must fully implement its reorganization plan.

In a shake-up, the CIA is creating mission centers to integrate its capabilities around specific subjects and geographic regions. The agency has successfullybeta-tested this kind of collaboration for years, but if the past is prologue, this reform will be arduous in an organization that is averse to major reforms. For this transformation to succeed, CIA will need to foster the highest level of skills necessary for successful clandestine operations and analysis, establish clear career development paths for its personnel, and ensure ongoing support from the President well past 2016.

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