Nat'l Intel Director McConnell Stops Release Of Intelligence Estimates

So, if they aren't released, they can't be criticized. That will effectively shut up a lot of critics, I presume.


Intel estimates to be more restricted

Intelligence Officials Clamping Down on Release of Intelligence Estimates

PAMELA HESS
AP News

Oct 26, 2007 16:58 EDT

National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell has reversed the recent practice of declassifying and releasing summaries of national intelligence estimates, a top intelligence official said Friday.

Knowing their words may be scrutinized outside the U.S. government chills analysts' willingness to provide unvarnished opinions and information, said David Shedd, a deputy to McConnell.

He told congressional aides and reporters that McConnell recently issued a directive making it more difficult to declassify the key judgments of national intelligence estimates, which are forward-looking analyses prepared for the White House and Congress that represent the consensus of the nation's 16 spy agencies on a single issue. The analysis comes from various sources including the CIA, the military and intelligence agencies inside federal departments.

Referring to the public release of the reports, Shedd said during a Capitol Hill briefing: "It affects the quality of what's written."

So far this year, the national intelligence director's office has released unclassified key judgments from three NIEs — two on Iraq and one on terrorist threats to the U.S. homeland.

more...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/10/intel_estimates_to_be_more_res.php

I wonder if there is one to be found.

will pitch a fit about this? I hope so, but sadly, don't have a clue.

They are systematically taking away our crucial info. Didn't they stop some major monetary report not so long ago?

begins to feel like we will never climb out.