Chapter 20 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 20 reinforces how vital Tim's efforts are and shows one member of the intelligence community able to read Bush's signals he intends to go to war. Michael V. Hayden, Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), heads a staff of 32,000 struggling to keep ahead of evolving technology in gathering signals intelligence (SIGINT). After admitting to Congress NSA realized only in hindsight some foreign-language intercepts are crucial, Hayden is determined not to let America down again. Flash messages go out within 30 minutes of detecting a threat. A "Rock Drill" run after Bush's Axis of Evil speech, determines SIGINT on Iraq is negligible. Hayden foresees a knowledge-based war that will strain the NSA severely. Ground commanders will know their foes better than they know themselves by accessing the secure "Zircon Chat." Hayden still downplays Iraqi WMD as "inferential."