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I can agree -- up to a point.

But, the system in place, even with the CIA and the FBI purportedly now dancing to the same sheet of music, leaves much to be desired.

A good analogy could very well be the results of Nichols-Goldwater. When I was coordinating (and fragging) Alfa Strikes for CTF-77 at 7th Air Force Hq at TSN (many years ago), General Momyer was barely civil to my boss, Vadm Hyland -- and PACAF was dedicated to paving Tonkin Gulf!

Cooperation at the highest levels was virtually nonexistent! The patently obvious result was mission degradation and needless loss of pilots and aircraft.

The Rolling Thunder strike mission against NVN would have been markedly enhanced by unification of aviation combat command at the theater level. This is unquestioned!!!

The classic successes of both Desert Storm and Tommy Franks' remarkable Baghdad caper proves the validity of this approach.

Is this structural analogy transferable to our national intelligence tasking? Quite possibly.

It surely could not have been any WORSE in the run-up to 9/11. Let's keep an open mind on this organizational realignment. I am against over centralization in any form. But, at least these intel turkeys must be forced to break down their fiefdoms for the good of the nation. At this juncture, Porter Goss should swing a broad sword -- and let the heads roll! Incompetence must not be rewarded. And, to that end, Tenet should never have been given the door so gracefully!