Melvin A. Goodman

About the author: Melvin A. Goodman is professor of international security at the National War College and senior fellow at the Center for International Policy.

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America demonstrate how ineffective the CIA has become at anticipating threats to national security. One problem with the agency is that over the years it has begun to de-emphasize information-gathering for policymaking and has become focused instead on supporting the Pentagon's war efforts. However, the CIA has proven inept at aiding the Pentagon in those tactical demands, which has resulted in a series of major intelligence disasters. To address this problem, the CIA must be separated from the Department of Defense. Another problem with the agency is that it has not fundamentally altered its methods since the end of the Cold War, yet the threats...