I know that most of you have no idea what dealing with this community is like except for maybe a really cool movie or made for TV special. However, you do not have to be a big expert to see that things are changing at a fundamental level. That is if you have actually read about any of the going ons and chances are, you have not.

I think one of the big changes is bringing the GAO back into the picture. In particular that the agency is being called in for an oversight project involving the Director of National Intelligence's reforms. The GAO has been sidelined by committee leadership since 2002 and it is about damn time that they are being called upon and especially for something of this magnitude.

Meanwhile the DNI has come out and said that the old "need to know" culture of the Intelligence community is old, counterproductive, and needs to go. Instead a selective open information sharing culture {PDF} should be in its place so that we can battle against terrorism. This means more connectivity throughout the agencies instead of the old separate fief-doms that still exist today (and actually still promoted by many). Expect the dinosaurs to fight this tooth and nail. See the Information Sharing Strategy {PDF}.

On top of all of that is some pending legislation which will reform the State Secrets Privilege. Read the legislation here. The Bush administration is dead set against it {PDF} as it would mean keeping the checks and balances of our government in place and will not allow the President (this or any) to basically do whatever they want. See the rebuttal {PDF} that was sent to the Attorney General.

That is not to say that some of the old ways are not still around. Back in September of 2001 there was a Homeland Security Council that was created. It still exists today but the public would never know it. It is not registered and there does not seem to be any way in which the public can contact it or interact with it in any way. This has been noticed {PDF}.

keep up with the latest with Secrecy News.