Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Thursday introduced a new national intelligence strategy that acknowledges the damage done to the nation’s spy activities by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden and pledges greater ethics and transparency in its work.
“The U.S. will continue to face threats of unauthorized disclosures from insiders and others that compromise intelligence sources, methods, capabilities and activities, and may impact international and domestic political dynamics. These disclosures can degrade our ability to conduct intelligence missions and damage our national security,” notes the 24-page document, which is intended to guide intelligence activities over the next four years.
In a speech to a meeting of intelligence and national security professionals in Washington, Clapper emphasized that the strategy leads with a seven-point statement of ethical principles: mission, truth, lawfulness, integrity, stewardship, excellence and diversity.
“Each of these seven principles has been a part of the [intelligence community] I’ve known for 50 years. If we keep these in front of us we can continue the crucial work in support of our senior policymakers while we also increase transparency and protect privacy and civil liberties,” Clapper said.
Publication of Snowden’s leaks have left many Americans and key U.S. allies skeptical of the need for the massive NSA data-collection programs whose details he leaked, and caused political problems at a crucial time when the U.S. is facing a growing threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Officials also have said secrets exposed by Snowden have allowed members of the Islamist extremist group, like other terrorists, to cover their tracks and avoid detection.
Clapper cited Snowden’s leaks as part of a “perfect storm” of factors degrading U.S. intelligence capabilities, which also includes budget constraints and “the conscious decision to stop collecting on specific targets.”
“The result of that perfect storm is that we as a nation are taking more risk,” Clapper said.
