Confronting Foreign Intelligence and Information Gaps

Like it or not, security is a partisan issue. But in his discussion June 23 at the New America Foundation, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) outlined a post-partisan "purple state"-style strategy for reform in intelligence and information gathering, buttressed by withdrawal from Iraq. An MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below, while video is available at right.

Sen. Feingold focused first on Iraq, arguing that the biggest policy mistake after 9/11 was not actually taking on Al Qaeda directly.

"Instead," Feingold said, "we have conflated Al Qaeda with Iraq, and launched a war in Iraq that perpetuates our military, intelligence, diplomatic and fiscal deficits and leaves us exposed - in fact increases our exposure – to very real threats to our domestic safety."

Feingold argued further what has been for some time and will continue to be the democratic stance on Iraq; that not only has Iraq weakened America, but it has distracted the government and military from Afghanistan, and especially the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions, where Osama bin Laden and top members of Al Qaeda are believed to be hiding, training and regrouping.

But as he would do throughout the speech, Feingold cited statements not from members of his own party or liberal experts, but respected military leaders like Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen and General James Jones that Afghanistan and Pakistan served as Al Qaeda safe-havens, and are still the central source of Al Qaeda activity.

But withdrawal from Iraq, according to Feingold, is only part of a wider plan to regain "global and strategic perspective", and a defined strategy of American foreign policy for the future.

This new strategy entails a hard look at the way American resources are used. As Feingold said, "an effective 21st century national security strategy must include improved resources to collect covert and public information, enhance multilateral diplomacy and prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons."

This new approach includes dramatically increased spending on "civilian elements of national security" like diplomacy, foreign aid, economic reconstruction and strategic communications, coupled with a cut in expensive and outdated military programs.

Again, Feingold portrayed this approach and the need for a new strategy as beyond partisanship; in arguing for this need, he referenced Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), as well as Defense Secretary Gates, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, among others.

The need for a new strategy brought Feingold to his final point of discussion, addressing intelligence reform. Feingold argued convincingly that, "the problem is our deficits in information collection, as well as reporting and analysis." This information encompasses not just clandestine information, but equally valuable open-source intelligence and observations gathered by sources outside the intelligence community, such as diplomats.

In order to ensure a comprehensive approach to intelligence reform, one that addresses the large strategic questions, Feingold proposed an independent commission to address intelligence collection, as well as questions of resource allocation and interagency coordination, which he and Senator Hagel have introduced as S.3041. This commission would then make its recommendations directly to the executive branch and to the congress.

This is one approach to addressing problems of American security in the post-9/11 world. The New America Foundation has seen other ideas, notably from NIC Chairman Thomas Fingar, who spoke here June 4. But the need for new strategic thinking is undeniable, one that combines pragmatism with a willingness to look at tough questions, across a wide spectrum of issues.

--Andrew Lebovich, Research Intern, American Strategy Program

Participants

• The Hon. Russ Feingold
  U.S. Senator (D-WI)
  Member, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

• Steven Clemons
  Director, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation
  Publisher, www.TheWashingtonNote.com

Related Links

The full text of the Senator's prepared remarks can be found here.

For the Senator’s recent opinion pieces on Intelligence please see:

• “Advice for the Next President,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June22, 2008.

• “We Need a Better Map of the World,“ Miami Herald, June 15, 2008. Co-authored with Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE).