Thursday
Feb072008
House (Select) Intelligence Committee hearing on “World Wide Threats.”
Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 12:11PM
Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) at the House Intelligence Committee hearing on “World Wide Threats” said that new threats continue to arise. He said that Russia has embarked on an aggressive foreign policy, and that we need to further our understanding of these developments. He said the committee wishes to know more about “home-grown terrorists.”
Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said the Protect America Act protected the ability to do surveillance. He said that some of the benefits of the Protect America Act were better understanding of the inner workings of Al Qa’ida, and disrupting individuals in the network that were planning suicide bombings. He said that some of the highlights of our success were no major attacks against the United States or its Allies in 2007; disruption of planned attacks that were on a major level, our partners throughout the Middle East attacked active terrorists; and Al Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) suffered major setbacks. However, he said, Al Qa’ida remains our biggest threats despite our successes.
Director McConnell also said “home-grown threats” inspired by terrorists is a continuing and evolving danger. Weapons of mass destruction, he said, are the second major threat to our country. He said he wanted to be clear about what he meant when he said “nuclear threat,” and it was in three parts. Those three parts were availability of materials, means of delivery, and the ability to design the warhead itself. On Iraq, he said the security situation showed signs of improvement and are at lowest point since February of 2006, and civilian casualties have dropped. He also said that the drug trade in Afghanistan is a long term issue, and that in Russia, the military still has deep challenges, such as health problems and loss of skilled personnel in the private sector. He said that China and Russia will have increased ability to target us due to modernization.
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency General Maples said that within the Defense Department, the diversity of employees is much improved in the area of recruiting and retaining of language skilled individuals, but although they were not there yet, they are on the right path with the language program. In order to be effective, he said, they need to answer the question of how they will sustain language skills over time.
During the Question and Answer session, CIA Director General Michael Hayden said that contractors have been involved in the interrogation of prisoners, and that techniques used were lawful and legal.
Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said the Protect America Act protected the ability to do surveillance. He said that some of the benefits of the Protect America Act were better understanding of the inner workings of Al Qa’ida, and disrupting individuals in the network that were planning suicide bombings. He said that some of the highlights of our success were no major attacks against the United States or its Allies in 2007; disruption of planned attacks that were on a major level, our partners throughout the Middle East attacked active terrorists; and Al Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) suffered major setbacks. However, he said, Al Qa’ida remains our biggest threats despite our successes.
Director McConnell also said “home-grown threats” inspired by terrorists is a continuing and evolving danger. Weapons of mass destruction, he said, are the second major threat to our country. He said he wanted to be clear about what he meant when he said “nuclear threat,” and it was in three parts. Those three parts were availability of materials, means of delivery, and the ability to design the warhead itself. On Iraq, he said the security situation showed signs of improvement and are at lowest point since February of 2006, and civilian casualties have dropped. He also said that the drug trade in Afghanistan is a long term issue, and that in Russia, the military still has deep challenges, such as health problems and loss of skilled personnel in the private sector. He said that China and Russia will have increased ability to target us due to modernization.
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency General Maples said that within the Defense Department, the diversity of employees is much improved in the area of recruiting and retaining of language skilled individuals, but although they were not there yet, they are on the right path with the language program. In order to be effective, he said, they need to answer the question of how they will sustain language skills over time.
During the Question and Answer session, CIA Director General Michael Hayden said that contractors have been involved in the interrogation of prisoners, and that techniques used were lawful and legal.
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