Colin Clark at DoD Buzz reports on the most recent blue-ribbon panel to review the NRO. While the panel has compiled their results and presented them to Dennis Blair, the DNI, it will be interesting to see if they opt for revolution or evolution. Many of the panel’s members have deep ties to the NRO and the intelligence community. Regardless of the panel’s recommendations, something well short of turning out the lights is likely.
History certainly favors evolution over revolution, and if so, things will likely only be changed in the margins–nothing dramatic. This will be useful in deflecting sustained criticism away from the NRO from Congressional overseers, as currently embodied by the Senate Intelligence Committee and its staff and in providing some cover to make incremental changes that will enhance the NRO’s effectiveness.
