July 27, 2009

Former President Bill Clinton visited the Central Intelligence Agency today to thank the men and women of CIA for their essential work in protecting the United States from foreign threats.

Welcoming the former President back to CIA, Director Leon E. Panetta said: “President Clinton understood very well the role of intelligence and its vital importance in the post-Cold War era. He relied on this Agency for information and insight, as he and his team confronted an array of foreign challenges.”

In remarks to hundreds of employees in the Headquarters Auditorium, President Clinton spoke about his work in Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere since leaving the White House. Noting the unique contribution of intelligence to American security, he said, “I think it’s critical to meeting the challenges that we face today and the ones we’re likely to face tomorrow. I guess that’s the most important thing I can say—that I am grateful to all of you for your service here."

Because CIA has grown tremendously in recent years, a majority of the current workforce was not on staff when Clinton was President. Director Panetta noted that many of today’s most pressing national security issues, such as global terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, were also priorities during the 1990s.

“We certainly can benefit from the experience and perspective of a man who for eight years worked to defuse those dangers, protect our nation, and share the best of its ideals with the rest of the world,” said Director Panetta, who served as budget director and White House chief of staff under President Clinton.

Prior to meeting with employees, President Clinton received briefings from senior analysts on counterterrorism and regional hotspots. “What we have to be doing is trying to stop the big bad things from happening, trying to limit the damage from the bad things that do happen, and trying to keep moving the world in the direction it should go,” he said. “In all of those things, we need intelligence and analysis.”

Are you working on a school project about different countries and governments around the world? Would you like the most recent map of Europe for your next trip overseas? Perhaps you’re curious about intelligence throughout U.S. history and want to learn more.

Resources for everyone—from students to travelers—can be found on the Publications page.

The Publications page features links to CIA.gov resources to make researching quick and easy:

• World Factbook
• World Leaders
• CIA Maps and Publications
• Additional Publications

The World Factbook

If you need to know the population of Djibouti or the official language of Finland, look no further than The World Factbook.

The World Factbook remains the CIA's most widely disseminated and most popular product; millions of visitors frequent the online Factbook each month.

This reference site is updated biweekly to provide wide-ranging and hard-to-locate information about the background, geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

World Leaders

Does your job or a school project require you to keep up with the comings and goings of leaders in foreign governments? If so, the CIA publication Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments is the perfect resource.

The CIA publishes and updates the online directory of Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments regularly. The directory is intended to be used primarily as a reference aid and includes as many governments of the world as is considered practical, some of them not officially recognized by the United States.

CIA Maps and Publications

Have you been looking everywhere for the most recent map of Asia? The CIA Maps and Publications page may have exactly what you need.

The CIA’s Maps and Publications section is a listing of all unclassified maps and publications available to the public for purchase from the Government Printing Office and/or the National Technical Information Service.

Additional Publications

Are you curious about the collection and use of intelligence before the CIA? Our Additional Publications section features some of our most frequented online publications, including Intelligence in the Civil War, Corona Between the Sun and the Earth, and In-Q-Tel.

Related Stories:

• Where in the World is Mount Kilimanjaro? Visit the CIA World Factbook to Find Out.
• Learn More About the World’s Leaders in Chiefs of State.
• Get an Inside Look at the CIA with Sites to See

Last month, at a meeting overseas of intelligence service chiefs, one of my counterparts from a major Western ally pulled me aside. Why, he asked, is Washington so consumed with what the CIA did in the past, when the most pressing national security concerns are in the present? It was a very good question. In fact, I've become increasingly concerned that the focus on the past, especially in Congress, threatens to distract the CIA from its crucial core missions: intelligence collection, analysis and covert action.

In our democracy, effective congressional oversight of intelligence is important, but it depends as much on consensus as it does on secrecy. We need broad agreement between the executive and legislative branches on what our intelligence organizations do and why. For much of our history, we have had that. Over the past eight years, on specific issues -- including the detention and interrogation of terrorists -- the consensus deteriorated. That contributed to an atmosphere of declining trust, growing frustration and more frequent leaks of properly classified information.

In its earliest days, the Obama administration made policy changes in intelligence that ended some controversial practices. The CIA no longer operates black sites and no longer employs "enhanced" interrogation techniques. It is worth remembering that the CIA implements presidential decisions; we do not make them. Yet my agency continues to pay a price for enduring disputes over policies that no longer exist. Those conflicts fuel a climate of suspicion and partisanship on Capitol Hill that our intelligence officers -- and our country -- would be better off without. My goal as director is to do everything I can to build the kind of dialogue and trust with Congress that is essential to our intelligence mission.

In that spirit, on June 24, I briefed the intelligence oversight committees of Congress on a highly classified program that had been brought to my attention the day before. Never fully operational, the program had not, in seven years, taken a single terrorist off the street, and information about it had not been shared appropriately with Congress. For me, this was more than just a simple question of law or legal requirements. Rather, it was a reflection of my firm belief that a straightforward and honest partnership with Congress can build support for intelligence. That's what I want, and I am convinced it's what our nation needs.

Unfortunately, rather than providing an opportunity to start a new chapter in CIA-congressional relations, the meeting sparked a fresh round of recriminations about the past. I recognize that there will always be tension in oversight relationships, but there are also shared responsibilities. Those include protecting the classified information that shapes our conversations. Together, the CIA and Congress must find a balance between appropriate oversight and a recognition that the security of the United States depends on a CIA that is totally focused on the job of defending America.

The time has come for both Democrats and Republicans to take a deep breath and recognize the reality of what happened after Sept. 11, 2001. The question is not the sincerity or the patriotism of those who were dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The country was frightened, and political leaders were trying to respond as best they could. Judgments were made. Some of them were wrong. But that should not taint those public servants who did their duty pursuant to the legal guidance provided. The last election made clear that the public wanted to move in a new direction.

Intelligence can be a valuable weapon, but it is not one we should use on each other. As the president has said, this is not a time for retribution. Debates over who knew what when -- or what happened seven years ago -- miss a larger, more important point: We are a nation at war in a dangerous world, and good intelligence is vital to us all. That is where our focus should be. The CIA has plenty of tools to fight al-Qaeda and its allies. Unlike the effort I canceled in June, our present tools are effective, we use them aggressively to go after our enemies, and Congress has been briefed on them.

When President Obama visited the CIA in April, he told agency officers, "I am going to need you more than ever." The men and women of the CIA truly are America's first line of defense. They must run risks and make sacrifices to acquire the intelligence our country needs for its safety and security. Having spent 16 years in the House, I know that Congress can get the facts it needs to do its job without undue strife or name-calling. I also know that we can learn lessons from the past without getting stuck there. That is what the American people expect. The CIA is ready to do its part. The nation deserves no less.

The writer is director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

© 2009 The Washington Post Company

Reprinted with permission from the Washington Post.

The simplest weapon we ever made.
—Dr. Stanley Lovell, Of Spies and Stratagems

The CIA Museum is home to many interesting artifacts associated with the Central Intelligence Agency’s predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services; foreign intelligence organizations; and the CIA itself. The following article is the first in a series that will explore the Agency’s amazing history through the artifacts in the CIA Museum. This article focuses on the caltrop.

*     *     *     *     *

A caltrop is a device—usually made out of metal—with four spikes arranged in such a way that when any three spikes rest on the ground, the fourth points upward. They come in all shapes and sizes—from Christmas tree caltrops with jagged edges to caltrops comprised of hollow spikes.

Caltrops are very useful in slowing the advance of troops attacking by vehicle or animal—horses, camels, and war elephants.

The weapon got its name from the star thistle, a weed with a form and function similar to its namesake.

Intelligence Uses

During World War II, caltrops were used extensively for Jedburgh team operations. The Jedburgh teams were created in the early days of the Office of Strategic Services—the predecessor of today’s CIA. The teams of American, British and French officers would parachute into enemy-occupied territory to conduct sabotage. The Jedburghs scattered caltrops across enemy aircraft runways. These caltrops were made out of hollow spikes, which could puncture a self-sealing tire and cause it to blow out. When a fighter plane rolled over a caltrop during take off or landing, the tires would blow out, causing the plane to go into an uncontrollable ground loop and eventually crash.

In more recent examples, caltrops were used during the Korean War. The United Nations used caltrops against the sneaker-clad Chinese troops.

Today, caltrops are particularly effective when strewn across enemy roadways or airport runways.

History

Caltrops have been used throughout history in Europe, Asia, North Africa and the New World. However, caltrops are often overlooked in favor of more impressive warfare weaponry, such as bombs or poison gas. The unfortunate soul who stumbles across a caltrop during battle has healthy fear and respect for the silent weapon. When encountered, a caltrop can easily puncture pneumatic tires and gravely injure—and sometimes kill—soldiers or animals.

A caltrop could be considered the ideal weapon because they:

• Are cheap and easy to make,
• Portable,
• Retrievable and reusable,
• Extremely effective,
• Require no skill or training to use, and
• No maintenance or special care.

Macedonia
Caltrops were used as early as 331 B.C. at the Battle of Arbela—or Gaugamela—in what was once Persia. The Persians sowed caltrops across the battlefield to restrict Macedonian troop movement. When horses pulling chariots happened across a caltrop at full speed, the chariots were damaged and the horses were gravely injured. Despite the obstacle created by the caltrops, Alexander the Great of Macedonia was able to navigate through the caltrops and win this battle. He recognized the caltrop’s worth as a weapon and used them against other enemies.

Roman Empire
The Romans adopted the caltrop from their encounters with Hellenistic armies. During the Battle of Nisibis fought in A.D. 217 in what is now southern Turkey, the Romans employed the caltrops in an ingenious manner. The Romans faked a retreat and dumped caltrops—which quickly sank into the sand—behind them. As the Parthians followed, horses and camels ran over the caltrops and were made lame, throwing their riders to the ground. The battle lasted for three days and ended in a draw between the two armies.

Asia
Genghis Kahn encountered caltrops during the Mongol invasions in 1213 when he attempted to attack the main fortress of the Chin Empire. The land surrounding the fort was littered with caltrops. After camping out near the fort for nearly a month, Genghis Kahn decided to move on to his next target rather than risk falling victim to a caltrop.

Europe
The Scots also used caltrops against the British during the Battle of Bannockburn fought near Stirling, Scotland, in 1314. The Scottish army placed nail caltrops on the battlefield, which ultimately halted the English cavalry and resulted in a British retreat. Historians say that the use of the caltrop during this battle contributed to the Scottish victory.

New World
Caltrops continued to be used into the 17th century. A caltrop was found in Jamestown during an archaeological dig. The English settlers probably used caltrops to discourage surprise attacks by native Americans.

From the early Roman Empire to the Cold War, the caltrop has stood the test of time as a useful weapon.

The CIA Museum currently has a caltrop on display in the Directorate of Science and Technology exhibit.

To view a picture of a caltrop and see other artifacts, visit the CIA Museum Virtual Tour.

Related Stories:

• The CIA Museum: Looking Back to See the Future
• The CIA Museum: The People Behind the Magic

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on Release of Material on Past Detention Practices

Today, as part of a number of Freedom of Information Act cases, the government is responding to court orders to release more documents related to the Agency’s past detention and interrogation of foreign terrorists. The CIA materials include the 2004 report from our Office of Inspector General and two papers—one from 2004 and the other from 2005—that discuss the value of intelligence acquired from high-level detainees. The complete package is hundreds of pages long. The declassification process, a mandatory part of the proceedings, was conducted in accord with established FOIA guidelines.

This is in many ways an old story. The outlines of prior interrogation practices, and many of the details, are public already. The use of enhanced interrogation techniques, begun when our country was responding to the horrors of September 11th, ended in January. For the CIA now, the challenge is not the battles of yesterday, but those of today and tomorrow. It is there that we must work to enhance the safety of our country. That is the job the American people want us to do, and that is my responsibility as the current Director of the CIA.

My emphasis on the future comes with a clear recognition that our Agency takes seriously proper accountability for the past. As the intelligence service of a democracy, that’s an important part of who we are. When it comes to past detention and interrogation practices, here are some facts to bear in mind on that point:

• The CIA itself commissioned the Inspector General’s review. The report, prepared five years ago, noted both the effectiveness of the interrogation program and concerns about how it had been run early on. Several Agency components, including the Office of General Counsel and the Directorate of Operations, disagreed with some of the findings and conclusions.
• The CIA referred allegations of abuse to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution. This Agency made no excuses for behavior, however rare, that went beyond the formal guidelines on counterterrorism. The Department of Justice has had the complete IG report since 2004. Its career prosecutors have examined that document—and other incidents from Iraq and Afghanistan—for legal accountability. They worked carefully and thoroughly, sometimes taking years to decide if prosecution was warranted or not. In one case, the Department obtained a criminal conviction of a CIA contractor. In other instances, after Justice chose not to pursue action in court, the Agency took disciplinary steps of its own.
• The CIA provided the complete, unredacted IG report to the Congress. It was made available to the leadership of the Congressional intelligence committees in 2004 and to the full committees in 2006. All of the material in the document has been subject to Congressional oversight and reviewed for legal accountability.

As Director in 2009, my primary interest—when it comes to a program that no longer exists—is to stand up for those officers who did what their country asked and who followed the legal guidance they were given. That is the President’s position, too. The CIA was aggressive over the years in seeking new opinions from the Department of Justice as the legal landscape changed. The Agency sought and received multiple written assurances that its methods were lawful. The CIA has a strong record in terms of following legal guidance and informing the Department of Justice of potentially illegal conduct.

I make no judgments on the accuracy of the 2004 IG report or the various views expressed about it. Nor am I eager to enter the debate, already politicized, over the ultimate utility of the Agency’s past detention and interrogation effort. But this much is clear: The CIA obtained intelligence from high-value detainees when inside information on al-Qa’ida was in short supply. Whether this was the only way to obtain that information will remain a legitimate area of dispute, with Americans holding a range of views on the methods used. The CIA requested and received legal guidance and referred allegations of abuse to the Department of Justice. President Obama has established new policies for interrogation.

The CIA must also keep its focus on the primary responsibility of protecting the country. America is a nation at war. This Agency plays a decisive role in helping the United States meet the full range of security threats and opportunities overseas. That starts with the continuing fight against al-Qa’ida and its sympathizers. There, alongside all its other contributions, the CIA is helping our government chart a new way forward on interrogation, one in keeping with the President’s Executive Order of January 22nd. You, the men and women of this great institution, do the hard work and take the tough risks that intelligence and espionage demand.

I am very proud of what you do, here and abroad, to protect the United States. Your skill, courage, commitment, and focus on mission make the CIA indispensable to the nation. It is a privilege to serve with you.

Leon E. Panetta

At the height of the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency realized that conventional methods of obtaining information from sources were no longer adequate to provide answers to policymakers’ questions. Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) John McCone believed that using science and technology could provide better intelligence. However, the science and technology offices were scattered across the Agency. McCone knew that he had to consolidate and coordinate all of these offices in order to provide policymakers with accurate information.

Using Science and Technology in Intelligence

During World War II, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)—the predecessor of today’s CIA—was the first to use science and technology as part of the intelligence process. In the OSS, the Research and Development (R&D) Branch invented weapons and gadgets and adapted Allied equipment for new missions. Silenced pistols, tiny cameras and a uniform button containing a compass are a few of the items created by the OSS R&D Branch.

When President Harry S. Truman founded the CIA in 1947, many R&D veterans signed on to work at the Agency. They were ready to apply the latest scientific advances to support Agency operations. However, these efforts were uncoordinated and scattered across the Agency.

During the following years, the concept of how science and technology could be used in intelligence changed dramatically. Inspired by Cold War fears of a Soviet surprise attack and encouraged by prominent government advisory commissions, the use of science and technology—especially technical collection with aircraft and satellites—quickly moved to a position of great importance among CIA activities.

Creation of the Deputy Directorate of Research

When McCone became DCI in November 1961, his top priority was the establishment of a new directorate that would consolidate the Agency’s far-flung and uncoordinated science and technology research, collection, and analysis.

Previously an engineer and manager of large corporations, McCone thought CIA’s science and technology efforts needed a major reorganization and redirection to promote efficiency, productivity, and innovation. This led to the formation of the Deputy Directorate of Research (DDR) on February 19, 1962, under Herbert “Pete” Scoville.

The initial attempt did not go as well as either McCone or Scoville envisioned. After nearly a year of attempting to organize the new directorate, Scoville had only managed to form three new offices:

• the Office of Special Activities—dealing with aerial and space-based reconnaissance issues at the National Reconnaissance Office,
• the Office of ELINT, and
• the Office of Research and Development, which was organized to maximize the Agency’s use of science and technology across the directorates.

By early 1963, McCone was growing impatient with the DDR’s slow development. Facing increased White House pressure, McCone criticized Scoville for failing to form a more robust directorate. A frustrated Scoville submitted his resignation on April 25, 1963.

Organizing the Directorate of Science and Technology

At this point DCI McCone realized that establishing the role of science and technology in the Agency and the intelligence community required a more dynamic, assertive leader. McCone turned to 34-year-old Albert “Bud” Wheelon—the Directorate of Intelligence’s Assistant Deputy for Scientific Intelligence—as Scoville’s replacement.

Then, on August 5, 1963, McCone officially announced the creation of the Directorate of Science and Technology (DS&T) and established a clear mission. This set the stage for the development of an unparalleled group of offices to advance the use of science and technology in intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Wheelon wasted no time in establishing the new directorate as the Agency’s lead in science and technology, although not without some opposition within the Agency and elsewhere in the intelligence community.

Within the first year, Wheelon fully integrated OSI and the Office of Computer Services into the new directorate. He then took steps to create a Foreign Missile and Space Analysis Center and a Special Projects Staff (the future Office of Development and Engineering) to ensure a prominent CIA role at the NRO. By the time of his departure from CIA in September 1966, Wheelon had created a solid foundation for science and technology within CIA.

While the original six-office DS&T has changed in size and organization during the last 46 years—eventually growing to 10 components by 2009—the directorate made many significant contributions toward understanding and overcoming the strategic threats the Soviet Union and other adversaries posed during and after the Cold War. The DS&T helped launch and perpetuate the global post-World War II technological revolution in intelligence. Today, the DS&T continues to develop innovations that directly benefit the nation’s intelligence and defense communities.

Related Stories:

• Directorate of Science and Technology: Technology So Advanced, it’s Classified
• A Look Back … John Alex McCone Becomes DCI

Transcript of Remarks by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Leon E. Panetta
at the
Annual Conference of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities

September 1, 2009

LEON E. PANETTA, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY:  Thank you very much, Dr. Ross.  I’d also like to thank Secretary Duncan, as well as Dr. Wilson, for inviting me here to share some thoughts with all of you.  It is a privilege and a pleasure to be here.  More importantly, it really is an honor for me because of several reasons.  Number one, your mission, which in many ways reflects the spirit of our democracy.  Because of the work that you have done to promote equal educational opportunity, a mission that goes to the heart of what America’s all about. And because of my own history, which in many ways tracks with your struggle for equal opportunity for all. 

The work of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, I think, is in the finest tradition of what our nation is all about.  It is about helping Americans realize the dream of giving our children a better life.  And above all, that means access to higher education.  Higher education is the key to being able to achieve that better life. 

And I know this from my own experience.  As was mentioned in the introduction, I’m the son of Italian immigrants.  My brother and I were the first in our family to go to college and to university.  As the son of immigrants, the values that I just talked about in terms of achieving that better life are what I believed in, and what my parents made sure that we understood, was the reason that we were to be educated and to be able to achieve that opportunity that this country is all about.

I remember asking my father, why would you travel more than 3,000 miles to a strange land – no money, no speaking ability, very few skills?  Yes, they lived in a poor area of Italy, but at least they had the comfort of family.  Why would you leave that to come to a strange country and travel all those miles?

My father said, “The reason we did it is because your mother and I believed we could give our children a better life.”  And I believe giving our children a better life is the American dream.  It’s what this country is all about.  And in line with that is the importance of recognizing that, as we give our children a better life, they have a responsibility to give something back to this country as well. 

My parents also constantly emphasized the importance of giving back to this country some measure of duty and responsibility in return for the opportunity that my parents got in order to be able to achieve some degree of equal opportunity.

And so public service has been part of my bloodstream for a long time.  You’ve heard my résumé – beginning from being an intelligence officer in the Army through being Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, and now as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.  All of that public service has been because I truly believe that it is important to give something back to this country that gave my parents and my brother and I the opportunity to succeed.

And in many ways, as I said, my career tracks the struggle that you’ve been involved in, in achieving equal education.  Early in the 1970s, as mentioned in the résumé, I served as Director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights.  Our responsibility was to promote equal educational opportunity to all of our children.  And the primary responsibility we had at that time was to basically break down the dual school system and to desegregate schools that had, by law, been divided between black and white children and to try to ensure that school districts were complying with Brown v. Board of Education and with civil rights laws.

Having worked on civil rights laws when I was a legislative assistant in the Congress, I believed that it was my responsibility in that job to enforce the law and to enforce the Constitution.  But when duty to the law conflicted with the politics of the time, I decided that duty was more important.  And I’ve never regretted that decision.

In the 1980s, when I returned as a member of Congress and chair of the Budget Committee, I had the opportunity to work on funding for black colleges and universities – worked with Bill Gray, worked with members of the Black Caucus to ensure that we would be able to provide funding.

In the 1990s, I was honored to be a part of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  Early in his term, President Clinton signed an executive order that assigned OMB, the Office of Management and Budget, with oversight of the Initiative’s annual federal plan for assistance.  And as OMB Director at the time, and then later as White House Chief of Staff, I was proud to play a role in helping to strengthen your great schools. 

For 130 years, you’ve been an invaluable asset for African-Americans and an irreplaceable source of talent and energy for America. 

As different communities have become part of our social fabric, our country has become even stronger, with a dynamic vitality that nobody else can match.  Diversity, along with freedom and the rule of law, is at the heart of what makes America great.  As CIA Director, I can tell you there is probably no other organization that stands to benefit as much from diversity.  Recruiting and developing a diverse workforce is crucial to the CIA for several reasons.

First, this nation was founded on the principle that we are all created equal.  It is a fundamental principle that says America is going to ensure that all of us – regardless of our race, regardless of our sexual orientation, regardless of whether we’re disabled, regardless of what God we believe in – will have the opportunity to succeed.  If citizens want to serve his or her country in the field of intelligence, it is wrong to let those kinds of issues stand in the way of success. 

The other reason is equally important because, very frankly, diversity helps us do a better job of keeping this country safe.  Good intelligence requires officers from diverse backgrounds who have different approaches to the issues that we face, who bring a wide array of skills to our mission, and are products of the cultures in which we have to operate.

I’d like to underscore how important diversity is to the CIA by talking a little bit about our mission.  Our first responsibility at the CIA is to protect the safety of this nation – today and tomorrow. 

We are a nation at war.  We’re confronting a war in Afghanistan and a war in Iraq.  We are confronting al-Qaeda and other terrorists in Pakistan who threaten our homeland and threaten our troops.  We are confronting the challenge of nuclear proliferation in countries like North Korea and Iran.  We are confronting a whole new challenge of something called cyber-security, which has the potential to, in fact, bring down our markets, bring down our power grid system, bring down our water systems and cripple this country.

And we’re confronting the challenge of instability: instability in the Middle East, in Africa, in Latin America, in Southeast Asia, in places like Yemen and Somalia.  The CIA has to be an intelligence organization that understands what our adversaries are thinking.  What are they doing?  What are their secrets?  What are their strategies?  What do they intend to do that will hurt us and that will hurt our goal of seeking peace in the world?

We have to understand those dangers, those opportunities, as America faces a world that confronts a number of challenges to our safety.  This is not about the past.  This is about the present and the future.  When President Obama offered me this job, he told me to “call ‘em the way I see ‘em.”  And I told him that I will tell him the truth.  And oftentimes I will tell him things – (Applause).  Oftentimes I will have to tell him things he would not like to hear.  But, as Director of CIA, my responsibility is to present him the very best intelligence that we have – not because it’s politically right, not because it’s what he wants to hear, but because it is the truth.

So what I emphasize with every CIA officer is that our responsibility to the President and to the leaders of this country is nothing less than providing the truth.  Our mission requires highly skilled people from many different fields and many different disciplines.  The work of all of these officers who work at the CIA – case officers, analysts, people who work in science and technology, people who provide the support for our mission – it goes to the core of what we do as an Agency.

These are people, I have to tell you, who put their lives on the line every day.  I wish I could take all of you to our stations throughout the world, so that you could see the work of our case officers on a daily basis: men and women, some in our National Clandestine Service, who are out there trying to see if we can get people to spy for the United States, to determine what is going on in other countries – What are they thinking, what are our enemies thinking? – to try to develop a collection of intelligence so that we know what is happening, that are engaged in operations.  Some of those operations are incredible in what they do to save lives. 

Our analysts, people who take that intelligence and try to determine what does it mean, who write finished reports that try to say to the President and to the leaders in this country, why is this intelligence important, what does it mean in terms of our security.  They’re subject experts.  They’re inquisitive by nature.  And they’re well versed in the analytic tradecraft.

That’s the kind of intelligence that goes to the President and to leaders in this country every day.  That’s what our job is all about.  And the best intelligence, the best intelligence comes from officers who can operate credibly and effectively in just about any society on the globe.  That means that they have to understand those societies. They have to speak their language.  They’ve gotta be able to know what their cultures are all about.  They have to be able to know what makes people tick in these countries to understand them.  Otherwise, intelligence doesn’t mean much.  So, a lot of this is about getting officers who understand countries that they have to engage in.

Intelligence, to be effective, we have to reflect the face of the world that we’re responsible for.  And so it’s for that reason that we reach out, to seek out a diverse workforce.  That’s why I’m committed to making the CIA look more like this nation that we protect, look more like the world that we protect, so that we can operate effectively to help protect the country.

(Applause)

Our goal, my goal – and it’s our goal – is to substantially increase the diversity of our workforce in the next few years.  And the position that the CIA is, what we’re seeking is to be recognized as one of the top ten diversity employers in this town.  That’s our goal, and that’s what we intend to achieve.

(Applause)

By its very nature, diversity encompasses many dimensions – ethnicity, cultural, educational, religious, racial, behavioral, sometimes not easy to quantify.  But one element, which is minority representation, is the one area that we’d like to see our workforce closely approach the level of the population that we have in this country.  CIA needs to reflect the face of this country.  And that’s what my goal is as Director of CIA.

A fine recruiting effort has already begun to do that. The CIA is, I think, viewed as a great place to work, a challenging place to work.  We get more than 140,000 applications at the CIA, almost 400 a day.  And if there is a new James Bond movie that comes out, we get even more applications as a result of that.

(Laughter)

Our retention rate is one of the best in government.  Right now, new officers who come in, we lose less than one percent.  So we’ve got a great retention rate. Almost a third of our new hires this year are minorities.  That’s good, but we can do even better.  We want to significantly increase the hiring of minorities in collection and analysis and their inclusion in student intern programs as well.  We aim to expand national origin hiring – first- and second-generation Americans – and substantially boost the number of new officers with foreign languages.  Above all, we’re widening our recruitment pool by going to more places that offer a rich variety of talented candidates. 

Historically black colleges and universities are an important part of that effort. We’ve already started recruitment efforts at 17 of your schools this semester.  We’re conducting interviews, classroom presentations, faculty meetings.  We enjoy working relationships with many of the career offices and will reach out to more of your schools in this coming year. 

Our officers also participate in the Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence, the innovative program that’s led by Dr. Lenora Gant.  And we’re very proud to be part of the National Urban League’s Black Executive Exchange Program, which does an excellent job of cultivating future leaders in government and industry.

I have to tell you that more than just a diverse workforce – this is a little tougher challenge – we’ve got to have a diverse leadership as well.  My agency – (Applause) – my agency seeks to give all of our officers obviously the training and development they need in order to thrive in their work.  We need to make sure that, in every case, accomplishment earns a seat at the table of leadership at the Agency.

By any measure, we don’t have enough diversity in our senior grades.  Bringing executives from outside of the Intelligence Community isn’t easy in the profession of the CIA.  So that’s why we need to develop our junior and mid-level officers so that they can achieve those leadership positions.  Achieving greater diversity in senior leadership means giving up-and-coming officers what they need to earn, what they need to learn in order to be at that table of responsibility. 

The bottom line is we’re putting the CIA on a track to better represent the best and the brightest from all of the communities that contribute to America’s greatness.  It’s good for all of us, and it’s good for the nation that we serve.

This month marks eight years since the attacks of September 11^th.  All of us must remember the lesson of 9/11, that we must do everything possible to make sure that that never happens again to this country.  It is the tireless work of thousands of men and women in the military, in law enforcement, and in intelligence that is essential to our nation’s security.

President Obama gave me the high honor of working with some of the most capable and gifted people that I have known in over 40 years of public service in this town.  These are people who frankly don’t pay a lot of attention to the noise in this town, but do pay a lot of attention to what their heart tells them about commitment to service.

More than half of CIA’s workforce has come aboard since 9/11.  The energy and spirit they bring to the job is amazing, and my goal is to begin a new chapter for the CIA in the 21^st century that provides the best intelligence possible with a professional and diverse workforce that reflects the face of the world and abides by the highest values of our nation.

Ultimately, protecting America is not just the work of the CIA; it’s the work of all Americans.  It’s the responsibility of all of us to fight for a better nation and to fight for a more secure nation. 

There is a story I often tell, that makes a pretty good point, of the rabbi and the priest who decided they would get to know each other a little better.  And they thought if they went to events together, they could learn about each other’s religion. And so, one evening, they went to a boxing match.  And just before the bell rang, one of the boxers made the sign of the cross.  And the rabbi nudged the priest and said, “What does that mean?”  The priest said, “It doesn’t mean a damn thing if he can’t fight.” 

(Laughter.)

Now, frankly, we bless ourselves with the hope that everything is going to be fine in this country.  But, frankly, it doesn’t mean a damn thing unless we’re willing to fight for it.  I know – (Applause) – I know that you are willing to fight for a better life and for a better nation.  And I look forward to working with all of you in being able to make sure that that American dream we all care about is real for all of our children.  Thank you very much. 

What do Walt Disney Studios and the Office of Strategic Services—the predecessor of today’s CIA—have in common? Accomplished camera effects artist Robert Carey Broughton created award-winning films for both organizations.

From Math to Magic

Broughton was born on September 17, 1917, in Berkeley, California. He spent most of his childhood in Glendale, California, where he attended Glendale High School and Glendale Junior College. Broughton also attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied chemistry, physics, math and optics.

In 1937, Broughton got a job at Walt Disney Studios delivering mail. It wasn’t long before he was pulled to work in the camera department. He started out as an assistant in the test camera department, where he worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Broughton’s job was to shoot the test camera to check for continuous action of the animation before finalizing the film.

Next, Broughton worked with the animation camera, which led to operating Disney’s famous multi-plane camera. It was used to create depth in animated featured films, including Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, and many more.

Broughton was very involved with the production of Fantasia. His work on this film and his eye for detail earned him a promotion to camera department supervisor.

Filming the War

With the start of World War II, Broughton answered the call to service by joining the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Field Photographic Branch of the OSS.

Film had not been used extensively during a war before, but with the beginning of World War II, it became apparent that it could serve a number of purposes:

• Boost propaganda and morale,
• Train the troops,
• Provide intelligence, and
• Record historical events.

During his time with the OSS, Broughton worked with Hollywood director John Ford to create documentary films about the war. Together, the two men produced The Battle of Midway, which won an Academy Award for best documentary in 1942. Broughton photographed most of the footage and Ford directed the film.

The OSS institutionalized using film in intelligence with the OSS Intelligence Photographic Documentation Project. Its purpose was to establish a worldwide photographic intelligence file of areas of strategic importance.

Creating Magic

After the War, Broughton returned to Disney as an assistant to legend Ub Iwerks—co-creator of Mickey Mouse. Under Iwerks, Broughton began to work on live-action motion pictures, such as Mary Poppins. He helped create the illusion that Dick Van Dyke was dancing with penguins by using Color Traveling Matte Composite Cinematography. This award-winning technology combined live action and animation on film.

In 1982—with 45 years of work at Disney under his belt—Broughton retired. He was known for his passion. Even after retiring, his enthusiasm lived on in his coordination of the retiree club, The Golden Ears.

Broughton was honored as a Disney Legend in 2001. This annual award honors an individual whose creativity and talent have contributed to producing magical films for children of all ages. Each Disney Legend receives an award cast in bronze and a plaque bearing their name, hand prints and signature at the Studios in California.

Broughton passed away on Monday, January 19, 2009. He was 91. Broughton is survived by two sons, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

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September 11, 2009

The Central Intelligence Agency on Wednesday recognized four teams of officers for exceptional achievement in applying science and technology to intelligence challenges.

The skill, ingenuity, and determination of this year’s John A. McCone Award recipients are responsible for critical intelligence successes in recent months. Their outstanding work—the details of which remain classified—has broadened policymakers’ insight into key adversaries, strengthened America’s ability to fight terrorism, and saved lives in the war zones.

Director Panetta joined Director for Science and Technology Stephanie O’Sullivan to present the awards. “This ceremony recognizes achievements in science and technology that are every bit as courageous and ground-breaking as the U2 was in its time,” he said. “They are smart, innovative, and mission-focused. They integrate multiple capabilities and build on past experience, so that our application of technology provides the very best intelligence as effectively and efficiently as possible.

“To keep America safe, we must stay a step ahead,” he added. “We must see where science and technology are going and we must use them to our greatest advantage. Our work must be beyond the capability and the imagination of our adversaries. The teams we honor today have reached that level. They have given the United States a technological edge that our enemies can’t match.”

Director Panetta noted that integration and collaboration, across the Agency and the Intelligence Community, was important to each team’s success. The award winners combined the expertise and capabilities of several agencies to deliver technological solutions to complex problems.

“People here understand that the work is difficult—that it is risky—and that gains rarely come easy,” Director Panetta said. “But when we succeed—when we deploy a new capability, see it operate flawlessly for the first time, or brief the results to the President—the achievement is all the more satisfying because the road to get there was so tough.”

The McCone Award, named for the CIA Director who established the Directorate of Science and Technology in 1963, is presented annually to individuals or teams that demonstrate the essential attributes of the directorate: deep technical expertise, disciplined program management, and responsiveness to mission. This year’s recipients were selected by a panel of senior officers from a field of 12 nominations.