Author: Brennan A. Reeves
Publisher:
Published: 2013
Total Pages: 52
ISBN-13:
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The United States faces a constantly evolving threat from terrorist organizations and individuals who wish to do harm to do harm to its assets and citizens. In 2004, as a response to the 9/11 attacks, the structural organization of the agencies that comprise the U.S. Intelligence Community was changed under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. The goal of the transformation was to enhance the ability and effectiveness of those that are supposed to maintain national security. Coordination and information sharing between the agencies in the IC is essential to ensure that the relevant actors have the knowledge and authority necessary to give warning, take action, and adequately inform policy makers. Many of the agencies in the Intelligence Community share overlapping responsibilities, yet also have their own unique and specific purposes. They fall under several different cabinet level departments, and must accommodate widely varied leadership structures and policy guidelines. However, in accordance with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act the Intelligence Community has been directed to operate under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence. Based on the community's current organizational structure derived from the IRTPA, this paper evaluates if and how the Director of National Intelligence and the Intelligence Community will be successful in enhancing cohesion. The findings illustrate that, because of the structure and the authority granted to the Director, adequate coordination among agencies is unlikely. Furthermore, this paper shows that designing a policy that focuses on and empowers middle managers will provide the ideal solution. A solution in which a synthesis of top-down and bottom-up approaches to policy implementation is the most practical model.
