WASHINGTON, DC – Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO), and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte concerning the findings of the recent DoD Inspector General Report reviewing the activities of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

The letter requests information on procedures that have been put in place to eliminate the possibility of any future production of inappropriate intelligence assessments. A copy of the letter is attached: 

February 11, 2007

  The Honorable Robert M. Gates                                               The Honorable John D. Negroponte

Secretary of Defense                                                                Director of National Intelligence
Washington , DC 20301                                                            Washington, DC 20511

Dear Secretary Gates and Director Negroponte,

We are writing to express our deep concern about the findings of the recent DOD Inspector General Report: Review of Pre-Iraqi War Activities of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy .  In our view, the actions of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, as outlined in this report, are indefensible.

The report states that “the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy developed, produced, and then disseminated alternative intelligence assessments on the Iraq and al-Qaida relationship…While such actions were not illegal or unauthorized, the actions were, in our opinion, inappropriate…This condition occurred because of the expanded role and mission of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from policy formulation to alternative intelligence analysis and dissemination.”

We firmly believe that the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy should not be in the business of conducting its own intelligence assessments.  The office should be focusing its attention on providing sound policy advice to the Secretary of Defense, not providing independent, and flawed, intelligence assessments.  Responsibility for intelligence assessments should be left to the professionals – the brave and patriotic men and women of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Therefore, we would like to know what procedures your respective offices have put in place to eliminate the possibility of any future occurrence of similar incidents.

Thank you for your time and attention.  We look forward to an expeditious reply.

 

Very truly yours,

  STENY H. HOYER     IKE SKELTON                       SILVESTRE REYES

Majority Leader         Chairman                                  Chairman
                                  Armed Services Committee      Permanent Select Committee
                                                                                    on Intelligence

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