It was great to read the views of a lifelong intelligence professional, as he watched and helped shepherd the improvements and changes over the decades. I can't claim anywhere near Clapper's breadth of knowledge, but my experience in my nearly 30 years in the intelligence community fits with his very well. We see most IC folks as being more accepting of change, whether societal or institutional, than many might assume for such an inherently conservative (not politically, structurally) group. And, nearly every IC professional is devoted, as Clapper says, to speaking truth to power, to always providing the best facts while knowing that we are not in charge of policy.

Great look at a lifetime of work in the shadows, and the need for a small amount of transparency today.