Global Security Newswire

A number of strategies are being considered to improve the U.S. intelligence system, federal officials said yesterday at a conference in Denver (see GSN, July 28).

Intelligence gatherers "have become vacuum cleaners on steroids," said Deputy National Intelligence Director Thomas Fingar said on the first day of the Information Sharing Conference.

Questions over analysts' access to that collected intelligence leaves large amounts of information that "is just data.  We are awash in data," he said, according to the Denver Post.

Without significant change, "we become a very expensive irrelevance," Fingar said.

Plans to address this problem include:

--Setting up a system akin to the online "Wikipedia," in which analysts from all 16 intelligence agencies could contribute information about a particular situation, rather than only those who deal directly with that topic.

--Using a standard format for intelligence reports in order to give all analysts access to all collected information.

--Using a "geek squad" to help older analysts understand and use new technology that would allow wider distribution of information.

--Developing a database that would list all analysts and their areas of coverage.  This would allow intelligence officials to put together teams from various agencies based on expertise, the Post reported.

While the incorrect assessments of prewar Iraq's WMD capabilities have highlighted weaknesses in the U.S. intelligence system, officials at the conference said improvements have been made.

Multiple agencies now view intelligence to be submitted to President George W. Bush.  Questions about the information are discussed at senior-level meetings.

Three intelligence agencies collaborated in the hunt for al-Qaeda operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a June U.S. air strike (see GSN, June 8).

Information sharing with allies has also improved, said Dale Meyerrose, associate national intelligence director.

"The barriers have really come down.  A lot of this stuff is coming together," said Assistant Defense Secretary John Grimes (Bruce Finley, Denver Post, Aug. 22).