The War on Terror, Intelligence Convergence, and Privacy

Historically, the practice of the U.S. Government was to maintain virtual and legal walls among law enforcement, the intelligence community, and the military. After the attacks on 911, it became readily apparent that the goal of comprehensive national security would require an unprecedented melding of those three communities and a drastic increase in intelligence integration as well as information sharing. Accordingly, various laws, executive orders, programs, and policies were implemented to facilitate this culture change. The lines of demarcation between the traditional roles of policeman, spy, and soldier have become increasingly blurred. While obviously the goal is for greater collective national security, does the current legal framework meet its intent while still preserving individuals civil liberties and privacy This paper considers the necessary yet delicate balance between information sharing and privacy protection.