New Push for Democracy Is Sought

The nation’s intelligence director unveiled his goals for U.S. spy agencies Wednesday, calling for a continued focus on fighting terrorism and urging an expanded effort to “bolster the growth of democracy” overseas.

The suggestion that U.S. intelligence agencies should be more intent on monitoring and fostering democratic reforms in other nations could be a controversial element in a document outlined Wednesday by Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte.

The CIA and other U.S. spy agencies have a long and troubled record of fomenting coups and conducting other covert activities in the Middle East, Central America and other regions. And the war in Iraq is an ongoing reminder of the difficulties of seeking to change other governments.

Language in the document calls for “collectors, analysts, and operators” to be involved in bolstering democratic governments and movements, and for the forging of “relationships with new and incipient democracies.”

But Negroponte and another senior intelligence official who discussed the document with reporters said it was not meant to suggest that American spy agencies were planning more frequent or more aggressive overseas operations.

Instead, they said the language was meant to spur U.S. spy agencies to improve their understanding of forces that were helping or hurting democratic movements around the world, and to give policymakers earlier notice when threats emerged.

A primary aim, Negroponte said, is to provide better analysis “that looks into how countries are advancing toward democracy and good government.”

Other priorities listed in the 20-page document include preventing the spread of unconventional weapons and developing better ways to penetrate “difficult targets,” such as terrorist organizations.

Negroponte acknowledged that fighting terrorism and thwarting the spread of illicit weapons have been the top priorities for intelligence agencies for years. But he said the document was designed to give spy agencies clear, explicit goals, and to foster better coordination.

“Our feeling is, we must change the way we do business,” Negroponte said.

The intelligence failures surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks and the prewar assessments of Iraq’s weapons capabilities led to calls for better performance and coordination among the nation’s spy agencies. “This document helps us respond to these new expectations,” Negroponte said.

The report, titled “The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States of America,” comes six months after Negroponte was sworn in as the nation’s first intelligence director, with sweeping new authority over all 15 U.S. spy agencies.

The document says Negroponte’s office is working “to identify and eliminate” costly spy programs that aren’t proving their worth.

One apparent target is a system of satellites designed to orbit undetected; it is billions of dollars over budget and considered unnecessary by key lawmakers.

A senior intelligence official declined to discuss specific programs, but said Negroponte’s office had made some cuts and was continuing to evaluate “technical collection programs.”