Interagency

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Interagency -------- National Security
Process Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky
September 15, 2000
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• What is the IA / NS Process ?
• NSC is the main body for considering national
  security and foreign policy issues in order to
  advise the President on courses of action he
  might take on matters that reach his level of
  importance.
• Statutory members of NSC
• Pres., VP, Secstate, Secdef, Chairman JCS is the
  Statutory Mil Advisor. Director of Central
  Intelligence is the Intelligence Advisor.
  National Security Advisor attends (not statutory
  member)
• Others by invitation
• NSC Staff
• Organized by region and function
• Coordinate agencies submissions on variety of
  issues
• Make recommendations through NSC Advisor to Pres.
• Different Styles
• Nixon-Kissinger Scowcroft (Rogers)
• Carter-Brzezinski Vance
• Reagan Allen, Clark, McFarlane, Poindexter,
  Carlucci, Colin Powell
• Bush Scowcroft
• Clinton Lake, Berger

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• How the Process is Supposed to Work
• Objectives
• Clear options for the Pres
• Bring in various agency viewpoints
• Coordinate complex actions when decision made
• Follow implementation process
• PDD on Managing Complex Contingency operations
  1997
• High level, national interest crises
• Diplomatic/military approaches
• Considers resources
• Identifies tasks for each agency
• Deputies Committee to establish Executive
  Committee (EXCOMM) to establish IGs
• Provides for Pol-Mil Plan
• Centralize planning/decentralize execution
• Milestones

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• Process
• Desk officers
• State Ops Center, NMCC, and WH Situation Room
  staff, CIA
• DASs and Deputies to Principals discuss
• Secstate, Secdef, NSC Advisor may talk to Pres.
  Separately
• Memo generated from State
• NSC Cover memos
• Formal process IGs meet
• Deputies Committee
• Principals Committee
• Full NSC Meeting

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• Exceptions
• Positions of various agencies
• Informal structure Embassy bombing
• Predisposition of Pres.
• NSC Advisor
• NSC Staff

• V. Role of Ambassadors and Embassies
• Front line -- information
• Pres. Letter to Amb.-control over all agencies,
  with exception of uniformed military command.
• Interagency process doesnt apply
• Good Amb. -- not Amb. from State Department
• Ambassadors may be asked to query potential
  partners/allies.

• VI. Conclusions
• Process varies according to issue
• Creative. No set formula
• Wisdom emerges adversarial process works if not
  just turf questions.
• Best when differences clearly set forth, but
  goals, missions clear.

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Interagency -------- National Security Process
Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky September 15,
2000