This is my sound bite take away from what was certainly an event filled if not significant week (July 19-23) for the Intelligence Community (IC). It is probably not happenstance that the Washington Post ran its almanac facts without context three part investigative "TOP SECRET AMERICA" story on the IC (July 19, 20, & 21), the same week the Senate Select Committee for Intelligences (SSCI) surprisingly relented to political pressure and quickly scheduled a confirmation hearing (July 20th) on Jim Clapper to be the fourth Director of National Intelligence (DNI). When I read the Post's breathless cries about how much money the IC is spending, which Secretary Gates knew was coming, I immediately understood why the Secretary of Defense decided not to lecture the Baker Dinner audience on the need for the IC to rein its spending. He knew that the Post story and the resulting commentary generated would make this point better than he could -- and not cost him any political capital. Finally, in a touch of irony, General Stanley McCrystal awkwardly retired from the Army on 23 July. I am not sure why Thursday July 22nd was devoid of any IC stories of import!

With the development of the Afghan Air Force six to nine months behind schedule, the commander of the Combined Air Power Transition Force pushes for more technology, teaching tools and NATO support.

One of the Big Six IC agencies is the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). For a pretty good introductory video, browse here: http://www.dia.mil/video.html In an honest moment, I will admit that I vacillate between frustration and passion for this critically important agency. Rather than venting about my impressions of the Agency I will keep this blog entry positive and focus on "how you and I can provide real solutions" to an organization that really does need them, and how we can help them to be everything they should be as a vital member of the IC.

Service introduces Prophet Enhanced system into the field at lightning speed under ISR surge.

The U.S. Army and Air Force are on the same page- saving time and money by sharing one geospatial data network.

An ultra-fast search algorithm that finds patterns in social networks could impact national security, businesses and individuals. A team of University of Maryland researchers developed the computer program, which can be used to uncover covert agents and terrorist groups communicating via social media sites such as Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Twitter.

Even before the U.S. Cyber Command stood up there was wide-ranging speculation about what the command would do, the authorities it would be granted, and the powers it would wield. No amount of insight from those with knowledge of the command will be enough to assuage the concerns of those who feel such an organization - and more specifically its intimate links with an intelligence agency - is a threat to liberty online and in general. Two of the early players in the cyber security and intelligence world - Bob Gourley and Mike Tanji - square off over the value - or lack thereof - of the Cyber Command and its impact on national security.

In a headline-driven nation where the death of Anna Nicole Smith bumps video of a battle in Baghdad off the news, a roundtable program from the U.S. Defense Department’s Emerging Media Directorate engages bloggers and downrange commanders in rich conversation.

Government agencies and other organizations responding to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January were able to coordinate efforts better thanks to the deployment of new information-sharing technology.