EARL NASH
>>>>>
“ It’s news to YOU <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Risking prosecution under the Patriot Act Laws, the Washington Post will publish information that will allow readers to connect the dots between the Federal government's TOP SECRET operations and the private contractors who provide services.
The series could
shine the light of day on the secret dealings between Dick Cheney, the
Defense Department,
the Pentagon and private contractors, such as Blackwater and Halliburton.
Beginning this
Monday (7-19) The Washington Post will issue the first in a series of articles
about private contractors and their connections to Government agencies.
The series may
include both domestic and military private contractors, which, if true, would
reveal the amount of funds spent by the Pentagon on private contractors, like
Blackwater, now hiding under its new name Xe.
Security concerns
are raised in a memo to contractors by an agency called the "Mission
Support Center" (see below) and the contact is listed as the ODNI Public
Affairs Office.
ODNI is the Office
of the Director of National Intelligence at http://www.odni.gov/
.
The ODNI is related
to other government entities, thusly:
Relationships
with Other Government Organizations
The Intelligence Community is subject
to external oversight from the Executive and Legislative branches.
Within
the Executive, the IC works closely with the National Security Council (NSC).
Other Executive organizations involved in oversight include the following:
- The President's
Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB): The PIAB is an entity
within the Executive Office of the President formed "to assess the
quality, quantity, and adequacy" of intelligence collection,
analysis, counterintelligence, and other activities of the IC. The PIAB
reports directly to the President, and provides recommendations for
actions to improve and enhance the performance of intelligence efforts. It
also examines issues raised by the President or the Director of National
Intelligence and can make recommendations directly to the DNI. Membership
of the PIAB consists of not more than 16 persons appointed by the
President.
- The President's
Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB): Once a separate
organization under the President, the IOB was made a standing committee of
the PIAB in 1993. The IOB is composed of four members of the PIAB
appointed by the Chairman of the PIAB. The IOB conducts independent
oversight investigations as required and reviews the oversight practices
and procedures of the inspectors general and general counsels of
intelligence agencies.
- The Office of Management
and Budget (OMB): OMB is part of the Executive Office of
the President. It reviews intelligence budgets in light of presidential
policies and priorities, clears proposed testimony, and approves draft
intelligence legislation for submission to Congress.
Within the Congress, principal
oversight responsibility rests with the two intelligence committees. By law,
the President must ensure that these two committees are kept "fully and
currently" informed of the activities of the Intelligence Community,
including any "significant anticipated intelligence activities."
Notice is also required to be provided to both committees of all covert action
programs approved by the President as well as all "significant intelligence
failures."
- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI): Senate
Resolution 400 established the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on
May 19, 1976 to oversee and make continuing studies of the intelligence
activities and programs of the United States Government, to submit to the
Senate appropriate proposals for legislation, and report to the Senate
concerning such intelligence activities and programs. Part of its mandate
is to assure that the intelligence elements of the United States provide
informed and timely intelligence necessary for the executive and
legislative branches to make sound decisions affecting the security and
vital interests of the Nation and assure intelligence activities conform
with the Constitution and laws of the United States. The Committee is
currently composed of 8 Majority members and 7 Minority Members, the
Chairman and Ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, and the
Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate are ex-officio members of the
Committee.
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI): House
Resolution 658 established the House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence on July 14, 1977 and outlined the jurisdiction and makeup of
the Committee. The Committee originally comprised13 members, with at least
one member from the following committees: Appropriations, Armed Services
and International Relations, and Judiciary. The Committee is currently
composed of 12 Majority members and 9 Minority Members. The Committee's
Jurisdiction is over the 1) the Intelligence Community and the Director of
Central Intelligence; 2) Intelligence and intelligence-related activities
of the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Security
Agency (NSA), and other agencies of the Department of Defense (DOD), and
the Departments of State, Justice, and Treasury; 3) The organization, or
reorganization, of any department or agency to the extent that it relates
to a function or activity involving intelligence or intelligence-related
activities; and 4) Direct and indirect authorizations for the CIA and
director of Central Intelligence, the DIA, NSA, and all other agencies and
subdivisions of the DOD, the Department of State, and the FBI, including
all activities of the intelligence division.
- Other Committees: In addition to the intelligence
committees, other congressional committees occasionally become involved in
oversight matters by virtue of their overlapping jurisdictions and
responsibilities. The armed services committees of each House, for
example, exercise concurrent jurisdiction over DoD intelligence
activities; and the judiciary committees in each House exercise concurrent
jurisdiction over FBI intelligence activities.
Through these
interactions, the IC keeps policy and decision makers well informed of
intelligence related to national security issues, and Congress maintains
oversight of intelligence activities.
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