While acknowledging the progress the CIA has already made in rebuilding
its intelligence capabilities, President Bush directed the agency to implement
the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to increase the number of its
intelligence analysts and field operatives.
In a memo sent November 18 and released by the White House November
23, the president told CIA Director Porter Goss to strengthen operations
by increasing the number of analysts and operatives by 50 percent and providing
them with improved training, particularly in foreign language skills.
The president also instructed the director to double the number of officers
engaged in research and development "to bring science to bear in the war
on terrorism, countering the proliferation of WMD (weapons of mass destruction),
and against new and emerging threats."
Intelligence gathering should be integrated, the directive says, both
between human and technical intelligence collection and among analysts
inside and outside government.
Within 90 days, Goss must submit the agency's plan to achieve these
and other goals set in the memo, including ensuring "diverse views are
routinely reflected in finished intelligence products."
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Crawford, Texas)
November 23, 2004
November 18, 2004
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT: Strengthening Central Intelligence Agency Capabilities
The Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon
the United States recommended:
"The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director should emphasize (a)
rebuilding the CIA's analytic capabilities; (b) transforming the clandestine
service by building its human intelligence capabilities; (c) developing
a stronger language program, with high standards and sufficient financial
incentives; (d) renewing emphasis on recruiting diversity among operations
officers so they can blend more easily in foreign cities; (e) ensuring
a seamless relationship between human source collection and signals collection
at the operational level; and (f) stressing a better balance between unilateral
and liaison operations."
[ indentation and quotes added by MILNET]
I approve and direct you to implement these recommendations, recognizing
that significant progress has already been made in rebuilding the CIA's
capabilities under the Strengthening Intelligence Initiative and the Director
of Central Intelligence's (DCI) Strategic Direction, especially with respect
to all-source analysis, clandestine operations, information sharing, and
foreign languages.
Working within the framework established by the Strengthening Intelligence
Initiative, I direct you to implement within the CIA measures to:
(1) Further strengthen the core capabilities of the CIA to meet the
intelligence challenges presented by international terrorism, the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and other critical national security
issues, including, but not limited to, its capabilities to:
(a) Perform all-source intelligence analysis that, among other qualities,
routinely considers, and presents to national security policymakers, diverse
views;
(b) Conduct clandestine collection operations involving human sources
and technical methods unilaterally, with other elements of the Intelligence
Community, and with foreign partners, and conduct covert action operations
as directed by the President;
(c) Share information rapidly and proactively with other agencies of
the United States Government, including specifically those responsible
for national security and homeland security, while protecting the sources
and methods of its collection from unauthorized disclosure, giving top
priority to support of governmental actions to detect, prevent, preempt,
and disrupt terrorist threats and attacks on the United States, its people,
and its allies and interests around the globe; and
(d) Collect, process, analyze, and disseminate intelligence information
using personnel proficient in foreign languages, and develop information
technology tools to assist in effective processing and use of foreign language
information.
(2) Ensure that the CIA processes, shares, and disseminates to the President,
Vice President in the performance of Executive functions, and other appropriate
officials in the executive branch, including the heads of depart-ments
and agencies with elements in the Intelligence Community, terrorism information
and other information relevant to national security and homeland security
including as directed by Executive Order 13356 of August 27, 2004, entitled
"Strengthening the Sharing of Terrorism Information to Protect Americans."
Building on levels attained under the DCI's Strategic Direction I, measures
implemented in accordance with the foregoing shall include, but not be
limited to, actions to:
(1) Strengthen CIA intelligence analysis capabilities substantially
and promptly through actions to:
(a) Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of fully qualified, all-source
analysts by 50 percent;
(b) Assign fully qualified, all-source analysts in a manner that strengthens
CIA and Intelligence Community analytical capabilities focused on terrorism,
proliferation of WMD, the Near East and South Asia, and other key strategic
areas in Asia, while maintaining substantial analytical capabilities focused
on other issues and regions;
(c) Increase investment in development of their analytic expertise,
field experience, and training in advanced analytical methods, including
for geospatial analysis; and
(d) Continue to acquire and develop tools that enable analysts to connect
to counterparts inside and outside of government, increase the speed of
the analytic workflow, and deal with the rapidly increasing volume of all-source
information.
(2) Strengthen CIA human intelligence operations capabilities substantially
and promptly through actions to:
(a) Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of fully qualified officers
in the Directorate of Operations by 50 percent;
(b) Ensure that a majority of these officers are collectors drawn from
diverse backgrounds with the skills, experience, and training needed for
the effective conduct of human intelligence operations;
(c) Assign substantial numbers of these officers to collection missions
reflecting the priorities established through the National Intelligence
Priorities Framework; and
(d) Integrate effectively, as appropriate to particular collection activities,
human intelligence collection capabilities and signals and other technical
intelligence collection capabilities.
(3) Improve the foreign language capabilities of the CIA through actions
to:
(a) Increase, as soon as feasible, the number of CIA officers tested
and proficient in mission-critical languages by 50 percent; and
(b) Develop and employ information technology tools to assist in processing
and use of information in foreign languages.
(4) Fully implement directives concerning information sharing, information
technology, information privacy, and security including Executive Order
13354 of August 27, 2004, entitled "National Counterterrorism Center" and
Executive Order 13356.
(5) Double, as soon as feasible, the number of officers who are engaged
in research and development to find new ways to bring science to bear in
the war on terrorism, countering the proliferation of WMD, and against
new and emerging threats.
I direct you to submit to me within 90 days from the date of this memorandum,
through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, a detailed budget
and implementation plan, including performance measures, with timelines
for achievement of specific, measurable goals. In addition to the capabilities
enumerated above, this plan shall also include a description, with appropriate
performance measures, of steps underway at the CIA to develop and implement
new collection strategies against difficult targets, to integrate human
and technical collection tools, to assure appropriate access by analysts
to information on the sources of critical intelligence reporting, to expand
relationships with experts outside of government and otherwise ensure diverse
views are routinely reflected in finished intelligence products. A copy
of this plan will be provided to the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities
of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, which will
advise me on the adequacy of the plan, especially with respect to countering
the threat posed by WMD. Beginning in June 2005, I direct you to report
to me at least semi-annually, through the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs and the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget, on progress made implementing this memorandum.
This memorandum shall be implemented subject to the availability of
appropriations and in a manner consistent with applicable law, including
the Constitution and laws protecting the freedom and information privacy
of Americans.
GEORGE W. BUSH
President Directs CIA To Increase Analysts, Operatives