THE UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY REFORM AFTER 9/11

The changes in the U. S. Intelligence Community after the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States were the most comprehensive within five decades. Intelligence reformers have sought to improve integration within the community as well as to strengthen their intelligence tools. Unfortunately, a huge intelligence failure was the impetus that caused the American legislative and executive to undertake responsible intelligence reform focusing on ways to reduce bureaucracy, institutionalize effective information sharing, and improve the capacity of the intelligence community to collect information on 21st century threats and provide agencies with the resources they need to get the job done right. Although the reforms achieved important progress in some areas, certain pre-9/11 difficulties have persisted while new ones have arisen.