PICKERING: Security threats cut across party lines

Amb. Pickering is absolutely correct. As a former very low-level member of the national security system I have personal experience with the shortfalls of the system, especially in the past ten years or so. While there was very good cooperation among the working level analysts for the most part, things got steadily worse as information moved up the management chain. I fear, however, that Amb. Pickering's suggested reforms/reorganizations will not come about with coherence. The existing poisonous relationships among political parties, agencies, and governmental branches will probably lead to creating an even worse system.