The majority of Tenet's speech was focused on the work of the intelligence community in the global war on terror: the ability to analyze shifts in demographics in Moslem countries that may lead to increases in terrorism, the covert work of the CIA in dismantling the infrastructure of A. Q.Khan's network of nuclear proliferation from his operations in Pakistan; and the ability to gather the information needed to confront Moammar Khadafi so that Libya would be forced to dismantle their nuclear programs.
Tenet said that he thought the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI)
was the best job in the world and felt honored to have led "the most selfless
individuals Americans will never know." He contends that the CIA has been
revitalized and still finds it painful to discuss the events leading to
his departure from the agency.His remarks received wide applause and other
speakers lauded him as having served the agency with distinction.
Senator Kerry (pictured at left), a member of the 9/11 Commission that investigated the
events leading to the attacks on the World Trade Center, emphasized the
unique importance that geospatial information will have on future intelligence
gathering activities."Since I am no longer an elected official I have
no reason to pander this audience...You are going to be the key." He admitted
to knowing little about Osama bin Laden prior to the attack in New York
City and Washington DC.He now feels that the failure to deliver information
to Congress that had been obtained by the intelligence agencies led them
not to act when they had the opportunity to destroy his bases in Afghanistan
in the late 1990's.
Kerry believes that one factor in improving intelligence gathering and analysis is simply "good management" and making the "day in and day out work just a little better." He commented that he disagrees with Tenet's assessment that it will take four to five years to rebuild the intelligence infrastructure to combat today's threats of terrorism."I think George did an exceptional job as DCI...but if we try to rebuild we'll get it wrong. What we need is an whole new organization." Kerry is referring to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to create a National Intelligence Director that oversees all domestic and international intelligence gathering with the budget and personnel authority to make the changes necessary in protect the U.S.in the new era of global terrorism.In addition, Kerry said that, "you are not going to be able to defend our homeland if you only look at our borders as the end.The planet is the border."
Both speakers offered sobering comments with respect to the potential for terrorist attacks in the future and that the geospatial technology provides a pivotal element in protecting US interests here and abroad.