AFP Disc Questions – 2nd set

PART A.
1.) Write a response to the questions/prompt: According to the authors, despite
reform efforts, decentralization and coordination problems persist. Why is
this the case? What examples illustrate the continuing problems? Do you
think that these are problems that can ever be solved? Why or why not?
2.) Using the paragraphs below, write a response to underlined/italicized
passage below. State whether you agree or disagree and state why.
“The decentralization and coordination problems can be linked to the lack of cooperation
between the CIA, congress, and the executive branch of the government. Examples are
ample throughout the Bush administration and leading into the war in Iraq, Specifically
the CIA reporting the absence of WMD’s to both congress and the president but being
ignored in order for the administration to push their agenda and go to war with Iraq.
These problems can be resolved by allowing the CIA to be taken more seriously as a
department in the government and the policymakers being proactive about the agencies
findings. However this will be difficult because of the overwhelming stress and the
difficulty of having more parties involved in the decision making process,”
ONLY Use the following paragraphs for reference:
According to intelligence officials, decentralization and coordination problems persist
due to their assessments going unnoticed, policymakers failing to use the intelligence
they were given, and policymakers pressuring intelligence officers to manipulate their
findings to better suit those policymakers goals. This is the case because the United
States can’t get comfortable hearing uncomfortable intelligence analysis, in addition, the
majority expects the intelligence community to prevent any surprises. For example,
when the director of the CIA presented to Congress its annual assessment of threats to
U.S. national security worldwide, these statements showed deference to political and
policy constraints. These issues can be resolved if there were fewer such restraints as the
public would then be able to get a deeper idea of what is happening within the
intelligence community. It’s difficult to say if these issues can ever be resolved, we know
how but the fact of the matter is, the United States must learn to be comfortable with