DNI Blair releases strategy document, talks budget
“Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair released the 2009 National Intelligence Strategy this week, and dropped the overall national intelligence budget figure in a conference call with reporters. While terrorism remains the top US intelligence target, the new strategy formally elevates counterintelligence and cybersecurity as top intelligence mission priorities. The plan also sets internal priorities, with intelligence workforce and contracting making the bottom of the list. The announcement of the $75 billion national intelligence budget–the first public release ever of the overall annual cost of US intelligence–marks a significant uptick in intelligence spending.
Terrorism is still a burning national security issue, but the mention of counterintelligence and cybersecurity in a top-level intelligence strategy document is a momentous sign that these two issues have finally arrived.”
(Source: DNI Blair releases strategy document, talks budget)
