DNI's Strategic Plan Outlines New Missions

Counterintelligence, Cybersecurity Stressed

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The top U.S. intelligence official said counterintelligence and cybersecurity would be given new emphasis under a four-year strategic plan he unveiled Tuesday.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told reporters that although combating extremism, issuing warnings, countering weapons proliferation and supporting military operations overseas remain major priorities, the 16 agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community must also work to keep abreast of technical innovations and developments in information technology.

The objectives outlined in the new National Intelligence Strategy, he said, "can only be carried out by an intelligence community that is agile, adaptive and united."

Blair described the strategy, the first to be drawn up under the Obama administration, as "a muscular intelligence response to meet the nation's responsibilities so that we can provide good advice to the policymakers and in the field."

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