US Intelligence: A Look Back and Ahead, Featuring The Honorable Charles E. Allen
Policy & Research Forum Special Event
October 27, 2009
6:00-8:00 PM
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Summary
On Tuesday, October 27, 2009, HSPI welcomed The Honorable Charles Allen for a discussion of the key events and lessons learned during his distinguished career of 50+ years in the US intelligence community. Allen joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1958, served as the first National Intelligence Officer for Counterterrorism, the first Chief of Intelligence in the newly established Counterterrorist Center, and eventually became Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Collection and later, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis. Frank Cilluffo, HSPI’s Director, moderated the event.
To an audience of policymakers, academics, practitioners, and students, Mr. Allen provided eyewitness accounts of Cold War struggles against the Soviet Union. He reviewed American attempts to tunnel into the Soviet sector of East Berlin; the development of the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes; and the multiple failures but eventual success of the Corona project to develop spy satellites. Allen brought to life the Cuban Missile Crisis—from the shock of the discovery of Soviet warheads, to the exhaustion, fear, and eventual relief that came when Khrushchev broadcasted his acceptance of President Kennedy’s deal. Allen reviewed critical events in the Middle East, noting the CIA’s failure to warn of the October 1973 war involving Egypt, Syria, and Israel; the Agency’s failure to detect the placement of Soviet nuclear weapons in Egypt; and his personal yet unheeded attempts in 1990 to warn individuals at the White House and Pentagon of Saddam Hussein’s imminent invasion of Kuwait. Finally, Allen reviewed the rise of international terrorism, highlighting successful actions against Libya, but poignantly observing the United States’ collective failure to respond to the growing threat posed by al Qaeda.
Opening the question and answer session, Mr. Cilluffo asked, “Is there anyone who does warning well? What structural changes are needed in order to provide the best information to our decision-makers?” Allen responded that although a few nations do in fact do warning well, including the United Kingdom, no intelligence service does a particularly good job. Throughout the discussion, Mr. Allen stressed two themes in regard to US intelligence operations. First, it is vitally important to emphasize content taken in context over raw data, in order to move us from information to understanding and actionable knowledge. Second, Washington’s blame game undermines US national security by needlessly punishing and demoralizing intelligence professionals. In sum, Mr. Allen remarked, “I found intelligence rewarding. I’ve lived it. I’ve breathed it. I believe it is the heart of US national security and its objective is to inform, not make, policy.
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Background Information
Charles Allen served as a member of the US intelligence community for five decades. Joining the CIA after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958, Allen retired from federal service in 2009 as the Chief Intelligence Officer for the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
During a distinguished career, Allen bore witness or participated in some of the most important intelligence analysis in our nation’s history – including events surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Yom Kippur War, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, as well as operations against Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. Furthermore, he has been at the epicenter of many of the intelligence community’s structural reforms and played a role in the fielding of new technologies – include spy satellites and Predator drones.
In August 2005, President George W. Bush appointed Allen, to the dual role of Assistant Secretary for Information Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security as well as the DHS Chief of Intelligence. Effective November 2007, he was elevated to Under Secretary for the renamed Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS, an office he held until January 20, 2009. Prior to his appointment to DHS, Allen served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security in 2005, Mr. Allen served as the Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Collection – beginning in June 1998. In this capacity, he was responsible for Intelligence Community collection and requirements management and reported to the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) for Community Management. Mr. Allen also chaired the National Intelligence Collection Board, which ensured that collection was integrated and coordinated across the Intelligence Community.
From 1974-1977, Allen served overseas in an intelligence liaison capacity and from 1977-1980 held management positions in the Directorate of Intelligence. From 1980 to November 1982, he served as a program manager of a major classified project, reporting to DDCI's Carlucci, Inman, and McMahon, respectively.
In December 1982, Mr. Allen was detailed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, where he held a senior position in strategic mobilization planning. In 1985, Director Casey asked Mr. Allen to return to CIA in the capacity of a National Intelligence Officer (NIO) for Counterterrorism. In February 1986, he also was appointed Chief of Intelligence in CIA's newly established Counterterrorist Center. As NIO for Counterterrorism, he represented the DCI in a number of interagency committees, including the chairing of the Interagency Intelligence committee on Terrorism, and serving as a member of the Interdepartmental Group on Terrorism (IG/T) and the National Security Council’s Terrorist Incident Working Group. Following this assignment, Mr. Allen served as the NIO for Warning from 1988 to 1994. In this capacity, he was the principal adviser to the DCI on national-level warning intelligence and chaired the Intelligence Community's Warning Committee.
Mr. Allen was awarded the National Intelligence Medal for Achievement in 1983 by DCI Casey and the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service in 1986 by President Reagan. In 1991, he was presented the CIA Commendation Medal for provision of warning intelligence in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In October 2005, CIA Director Goss awarded Mr. Allen the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s highest and most coveted award. In addition, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Negroponte awarded Mr. Allen the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal in October 2005.
Mr. Allen completed a Bachelor’s degree as well as graduate studies from the University of North Carolina. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air War College.
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Resources
HSPI recommends the following sources for additional reading:
Allen, Charles. (2009) "Lessons from the Mumbai Terrorist Attacks"
Testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Allen, Charles. (2008) Keynote Address at Annual International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts and Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit Conference
Federal Times.com (2006) “Allen carves out prominent intelligence role for DHS”
Kaplan, David. (2004) “Mission Impossible: The inside story of how a band of reformers tried – and failed – to change America’s spy agencies.” US News & World Report.
Kingsbury, Alex. (2009) “Legendary Spy Charlie Allen Knows the CIA’s Secrets” US News & World Report.
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The HSPI Policy & Research Forum series is designed to spotlight cutting-edge policy solutions and innovative strategies to some of the most pressing national and international concerns. The Forum features leading officials, practitioners and thinkers in a systematic way designed to better highlight their work and promote a dialogue on effective solutions to current issues.