[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9476-S9478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTELLIGENCE REFORM AND THE WAR ON TERRORISM

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I believe it is appropriate, as we move 
toward the end of our session, to take a look at those issues that are 
before us that are most important. Certainly, we have had a difficult 4 
years. Unusual and difficult events have happened which have been very 
hard to deal with, and they have made this a challenging and difficult 
time for all of us.
  We had an economic downturn starting before the beginning of this 4 
years. So we have taken steps to develop and strengthen the economy, 
which is still a job before us. However, we are making good progress, I 
believe, with respect to that issue.
  We had September 11, which is a tragedy we will all always remember. 
And then, as a part of and following that tragedy, we have had the war 
on terrorism.
  Certainly one has to understand that we have had a tough time. I 
think we have done rather well moving through this kind of a background 
and dealing with this situation that is very unusual.
  We continue to face tough decisions and the followup on those 
decisions. We have made an excellent start in the economy. We have made 
an excellent start in the war on terrorism and, indeed, are moving 
forward in that regard. We are faced with responsibilities and issues 
that have an impact on the movement we are seeking. It is up to us to 
deal with those issues.
  In the short term, we are dealing with the budget, appropriations--
those items having to do with spending. One of the impacts of what has 
happened is a spending deficit. All of us, I think, would agree that 
under the circumstances, it was a reasonable and necessary thing to do. 
Most of us understand it is time we begin to do away with that deficit 
and get back to a balanced budget, about which I certainly feel 
strongly.
  We are going to be faced as well with the reorganization of our 
intelligence-gathering situation. Today, we will be faced with a new 
Director of the CIA, which is a place to begin. Obviously, there need 
to be some changes there.

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  Along with that, during the next several weeks, we will be involved 
in the reorganization of the entire intelligence operation which, 
again, is very important. Of course, the most important aspect of our 
future is winning the war on terror and support for what we are doing 
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  We will take up the reform of our intelligence services. All of us 
recognize the hard work the Commission has done in putting together a 
plan, 41 suggestions and recommendations. We will look at those 
recommendations. They have done it under tough circumstances. We need 
to do our best to put into place the best program we can. This is not a 
political issue. This is an issue we ought to take a look at and say: 
How do we best avoid the kinds of problems we had in the past in 
collecting and putting to good use information and intelligence?
  I do not think we should rush to complete this job. Obviously, it is 
something we need to do, and there is interest in getting it done as 
quickly as possible. I hope our target is to do it in the best way we 
know how as opposed to the fastest way we know how. Perhaps we need to 
do both.

  We all agree there are weaknesses. Our Government institutions have 
not adapted to the growing threat of terrorism over more than a decade. 
We need to understand again, in terms of war, that the situation has 
changed so much. Not long ago, we fought a war with 17 divisions, 
landing boats on shores. That is not the case anymore. That is not the 
case at all. That is not the challenge. The challenge is not often 
knowing who the enemy is or where the enemy is. We have a totally 
different circumstance surrounding the need for intelligence.
  We have to deal with the fact that terrorists are there to exploit 
the weaknesses in our defenses and in our knowledge of what needs to be 
done. Fortunately, this election year has focused some on that point. 
We have seen fingerpointing attempts to lay blame partly to political 
advantage, but that is not what it is about.
  As we move forward with the debate in the Senate, I am hopeful we 
will never forget that the blame for the attacks on 9/11 rests solely 
on the al-Qaida terrorists and Osama bin Laden and the people involved 
in the Middle East for a long time working at these kinds of things. We 
need to understand also that the threat is not over, and we need to 
continue to deal with it.
  So our focus is trying to figure out ways to improve the situation 
and correct the problem so the events of September 11 will not happen 
again.
  So this obviously involves increasing both the quality and quantity 
of human intelligence, and we need to take a look at our overall 
situation, intelligence as well as military, because things, indeed, 
have to change. We need to have coordination certainly among all the 
intelligence agencies throughout the country, in different agencies 
than they have been in the past. Whether they put them all into one is 
one of the questions before us, but whether we do or not there has to 
be coordination and conversation and information exchange among them. 
There has to be sharing. We have to define the goals we are seeking so 
we understand what it is we are putting forth and that each of these 
various units within our intelligence agencies know what their 
responsibilities are and their goals are and we can put them together 
to equal what our totals are. We need, obviously, to invest more in the 
technical intelligence capabilities. Those things change constantly.
  So more importantly, I suppose most importantly, we need to ensure 
the coordinated use of these resources and the personnel and improve 
communications. It sounds like an easy thing, but apparently it is not. 
In the end, this type of reform and reform of our intelligence 
gathering process is necessary. I look forward to the debate we will 
have soon and I suppose some starting today, as a matter of fact, with 
the recommendation before us for Director of the CIA.
  Again, I hope that we can aim toward fixing the problems, aim toward 
moving to solutions rather than again finding ourselves in the 40-some 
days from elections where nearly everything is talked about having to 
do with the elections.
  Of course, overall, the most important challenge we have before us 
now is to win the war on terrorism in places such as Iraq and 
Afghanistan.
  The problems and the failures in prewar intelligence gathering are 
troubling, and I am pleased we are doing something about it so our 
leaders will have the best accurate information on which to make 
decisions.
  And we acknowledge errors in the past. However, the coming debate 
should not draw from the central fact that operations in Iraq are and 
always have been a critical part of the war on terrorism. The war being 
fought in Afghanistan and Iraq is one that is designed fundamentally to 
change the environment that has given rise and power to Islamic 
extremism.
  The introduction of a stable democracy in that oppressed region of 
the world will create an environment in which freedom and liberty and 
peace have the potential to grow and to thrive. I am persuaded that is 
really the goal of most of Iraqis. When I visited there some months 
ago, I was very much impressed with the feeling of most people. You 
would go out to schools, to powerplants, into the streets of Baghdad, 
and generally there were all kinds of cars and activity, kids standing 
on the street waving as we went by in military cars.
  I understand how difficult it is with the relatively small group of 
protesters and persons who do not care about the future and are willing 
to blow you up with a car bomb. But the fact is most people see the 
merit of having the kind of government, the kind of country where they 
can enjoy freedom and the prosperity of freedom. So if we can continue 
to provide an opportunity for these folks to take care of themselves, 
form their own government, which is our plan, of course, that is our 
goal.
  Now, it is difficult and I understand politically advantageous to 
complain about the speed at which or the slowness at which it is taking 
place. The fact is it is going to be slow. It is going to be difficult. 
It is a difficult thing to accomplish. We hear complaints about not 
having a plan. We do have a plan. Is everything perfect? Of course not. 
But there is a plan. We know what we are doing. I was out to the 
training facility for the Iraqi police and army, and they are making an 
effort. It is slower than we thought, of course, but that is the case.
  We are going to have the fanatics and the insurgents and they are 
going to be fighting us and the Iraqis and they will be acting out of 
desperation, and that is difficult. This is not the kind of war where 
somebody puts up a white flag and suddenly it is all over. This is not 
that kind of arrangement. This is much different. People will do it. 
This will, of course, eventually deny the terrorists and extremists the 
havens they need. So it is a very important issue. It is a victory that 
will be long and difficult. I believe we have to acknowledge that.
  Again I understand the politics of saying it is too long, we need to 
get out, and we do and everyone agrees with that. But there is a 
sequence in completing our task. There is the first sequence. It will 
take a long time and there will be casualties and it will be difficult. 
But there are happy things to talk about. There are more than 400,000 
security forces conducting stability operations there. The Government 
is in close consultation, training commanders; 99,000 Iraqis have been 
trained in various security forces. There is a lot going on there. Have 
we accomplished what we want yet? Of course not. Or else we would be 
saying that we have accomplished everything. But it is so important 
that we focus not only on that but on those things that now are 
important to us.
  We are focused on our budget. We are focused on holding down spending 
in the nonessential areas so we can make up this deficit. We need to 
focus on creating jobs so that we can continue to get strength in the 
economy. We need to focus on having the kind of intelligence that can 
avoid these things happening in the future. We need to focus on 
completing the task we have undertaken.
  So we will have an opportunity in the next couple of weeks to do some 
things, and then certainly we will come back later. I guess my only 
hope is that we can continue to see the tasks clearly before us, seek 
to complete the task successfully as opposed to trying to make a 
political issue out of wherever the controversies lie. That is the 
challenge for us and a challenge I believe we can accomplish.

[[Page S9478]]

  Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I understand now that we are on the time that has been 
designated for Senator Daschle, the minority leader.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I have been yielded 10 minutes and then I understand my 
colleague and friend from Washington has been yielded 5.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Would the Chair notify me when I have 2 minutes 
remaining?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Yes.

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