Reforms in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have been in the news this week, as it reduced the size of its Counterterrorism Office just as a new DNI, John Ratcliffe, was confirmed by the Senate. Ford School Towsley Foundation Policymaker in Residence, Javed Ali, a former senior National Counterterrorism Center official gave insight articles in The New York Times and on CBS.com.
Regarding coiunterterrorism efforts, Ali told the Times, "These moves are likely designed to reorient the center to future threats while also eliminating some redundancies in its mission. These resources could then be repurposed to focus other key priorities within O.D.N.I., like great power competition, cybersecurity or infectious diseases.”
"This is a much-needed rebalancing for NCTC and an opportunity to look inward and figure out where it can become more efficient, eliminate some redundancies and align to expanding threats," he said to CBS.com.
Article on CBS.com can be seen here.
Article in The New York Times can be seen here.
Javed Ali is a Towsley Foundation Policymaker in Residence at the Ford School for fall 2019, teaching "National Security Council and Counterterrorism" and co-teaching "Cybersecurity for Future Leaders." A former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, Ali has over 20 years of professional experience in national security and intelligence issues in Washington, D.C., serving in the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While at the FBI, he also held senior positions on joint duty assignments at the National Intelligence Council, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the National Security Council under the Trump Administration. Ali holds a BA in political science from the University of Michigan, a JD from the University of Detroit School of Law, and an MA in international relations from American University.