Budget Description
As being directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I believe that OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) should be the discipline to increase the budget because cyberspace is one of the potential sources of information and potential threats as well. Open sources should be monitored and assessed in terms of their safety and types of information stored and transmitted through them because different organizations can share information important for national security.
Besides, adequate assessment of sources of potential threats can increase national safety with regard to numerous messages that are used by terrorists and organizations to share information and agree upon some issues related to national security. Moreover, as suggested by Richelson (2008), the united states share the information and results of the threat analysis to prevent terror (352); so, it is necessary to collect and process the information on cyberspace and the activity of users and share the findings.
Roles and Responsibilities of DCI and DNI
The role of the DCI before the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 was the primary in terms of the leadership in the intelligence community of the United States. However, the event of September 2001 eliminated the position of DCI but preserved the administration of the Central Intelligence Agency and the position of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
So, the position of DCI required tasks aimed at management of the activity and operations by intelligence agencies of all types; control and coordination of agencies and their interrelations were the primary tasks of the DCI before 9/11/2001. The position of the DNI was established to meet the requirements of the improvement of national security after the terrorist attacks in September 2001. The primary tasks of the DNI include those of the DCI but focus more on the plan established to fight against the terrorists. The DNI is subordinate to the President of the United States who can control and direct his actions.
Though the position of the DCI expired, the Central Intelligence Agency still exists; it is subordinate to the DNI who is responsible for directing and overseeing the Program of National Intelligence, being the principal adviser to the President, and security councils. Besides, the DNI should oversee the relations between the members of the Intelligence Community as the head of this community.
Personal Assessment of DNI’s Authority
DNI has enough authority to fix the problems that were the catalyst for the formation of that position because he is the subject to the direction, control, and authority of the President and should act in accordance with the positions stipulated in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. These positions include the responsibilities performed before by the DCI but include also direct subordination to the President and Administration as well as National and Homeland Security Councils. I believe that the DNI has enough authority to fix the problems related to terrorism in the world and its manifestations all over the globe.
Terrorist attacks were predicted but not prevented by the Central Intelligence Agency directed by the DCI but are of primary importance for the DNI who should think about the intelligence community primarily though. So, the responsibilities shifted slightly but this should not be a reason for the DNI not to cope with the primary purpose of this position’s formation.
Reference List
Richelson, Jeffrey. 2008. The US intelligence community. 5th ed. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.