Posted on 03/05/2005 10:24:02 AM PST by nypokerface
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Reuters) - The Bush administration has adopted a new counterintelligence strategy that calls for pre-emptive action against foreign intelligence services viewed as threats to U.S. national security, officials said on Saturday.
The first national U.S. counterintelligence strategy, which President Bush approved on March 1, aims to combat intelligence services from countries hungry for U.S. military and nuclear secrets, such as China and Iran, both at home and abroad, counterintelligence officials said.
Officials at a counterintelligence conference at Texas A&M University described the strategy as an extension of the post-Sept. 11 foreign policy initiative known as the Bush doctrine, which calls for pre-emptive action against nations and extremist groups perceived as threats to the United States.
"The United States has become the No. 1 target for the intelligence collection of other nations," said John Quattrocki, a senior U.S. counterintelligence official.
"What we'd like to do with the counterintelligence program is what we've done with counterterrorism, which is take the fight to other guy's back yard and exploit and interdict where we can, and at home, interdict where we must."
The strategy is due to be released to the public as an unclassified document in coming days.
Officials said the plan aims to protect U.S. intelligence and information systems from foreign agents including al Qaeda by integrating counterintelligence through a recently formed agency called the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive.
Counterintelligence efforts are currently dispersed across the 15 agencies that make up the intelligence community.
"We have a great deal of bilateral cooperation between agencies. But we need strategically orchestrated operatio`s directed against prioritized foreign intelligence threats," said National Counterintelligence Executive Michelle Van Cleave, who will oversee the plan.
REVITALIZE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
Former intelligence officials described the strategy as an attempt to revitalize counterintelligence after years of neglect and demoralization following notorious espionage cases including CIA agent Aldrich Ames and FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who were both caught spying for the former Soviet Union.
"Today we are at war and the potential harm to this country from intelligence losses is far more immediate," said Van Cleave.
The strategy Marks a departure from a long-standing counterintelligence practice of waiting for foreign-sponsored agents to act against intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
"Instead of being willing to take a punch and be damaged, we in fact take the skills of counterintelligence and ... impose damage on other intelligence services," explained Quattrocki, a top aide to Van Cleave.
He declined to identify countries seen as potential targets. But other officials cited China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Libya as nations that have tried to collect U.S. secrets through means including cyber espionage.
Van Cleave's office produced the new strategy with input from the CIA, the FBI, the Pentagon and other agencies.
A former top intelligence official said the strategy offered an opportunity to establish a much-needed cadre of officers to carry out investigations across the intelligence community.
Much of the implementation will depend on priorities set by John Negroponte, Bush's nominee for director of national intelligence.
It is about time. The Chinese have been using us like cheap whores. The amount of industrial espionage they engage in is staggering. France and Israel are pretty high up on that list as well.
It's like a good ol' boy told me once about fightin': "If ya wait 'till he gets in his stance, ya waited too long."
It has been stupid for a while now. Really stupid.
In late 2001, months after 9/11 we had a security audit where I worked. DIS guy interviewed several of us. In the conversation, I asked what happened to the Designated Countries list; I could not find it in our Security Manual.
He told me it was now considered "Politically Incorrect". His tone conveyed disgust.
Unless it's disinformation.
I happen to agree that it is a good idea; in fact, I think it is critical with both China and Iran, whose names weren't just picked out of a hat -- it appears that we are indeed having serious problems with both, and a good counterintelligence program would be good medicine.
But why let the cat out of the bag? Just do it and surprise the hound out of them.
MI Ping
Sometimes, I wish that I was 30 to 40 years younger.
bump
Even if it was 20 they'd maybe let me.
It seems like that there could be some limited sign ups re time and experience.
The Clinton Administration would have required that all hostile agents register first before they would be allowed to spy.
Sounds like US intel agencies are going to play hardball.
Ping thanks, ASA.
I love the Bush Doctrine.
Moi Aussi!!!
Now, if we could only convince our former "allies", i.e., the Canadiens, le Francais, L'Espagne, the Huguenots,....... to grow a pair.. or 8M pairs. Wake up to the Muzzie cause and realize their "multi-cultural/tolerant" asses are on the line.. mais non.. they are tres stupide!
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