With all the recent attention on the National Security Agency’s surveillance program–particularly that it was the so-called “data mining” aspects that drew Alberto Gonzales and Andrew Card to John Ashcroft’s hospital room back in 2004–I thought it was a good time to recall a story I wrote last summer. This story goes into considerable detail […]

There are no real surprises in the unclassified “key judgments” of a new National Intelligence Estimate on terrorism, out this morning. Most of the important assessments of the 16 intelligence agencies have already leaked out or were highlighted in other forums by senior officials in recent months. We judge the US Homeland will face a […]

For one year and 51 days, the nation’s top intelligence official has been without a second-in-command. When Gen. Michael Hayden stepped down as the principal deputy director of national intelligence, in May of last year, to become the CIA director, it effectively left the intelligence community without a chief operating officer. But today, Director of […]

The graybeards of spycraft are smiling: After two years of turnover and uncertainty in the top ranks of the U.S. intelligence establishment, which saw such outsiders as a former congressman and a career ambassador elevated to high posts, four of their own are now in control or soon will be. In what one former official […]