February 11, 2000
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Your National Drug Control Strategy provides a comprehensive approach
to counter the threat of illicit drugs. This approach includes
reducing the supply of drugs and the human and financial toll that these drugs take on our nation. In one year, the social and health costs related to illicit drug abuse exceeded $110 billion and 52,000 drug related deaths. Our efforts to reduce the availability of drugs target both domestic and overseas cultivation, production, and trafficking of these deadly substances. Recognizing the critical role that intelligence plays in support of law enforcement and policymakers in reducing the supply of drugs, your Administration acted to enhance and strengthen the counterdrug intelligence structure.
In September 1997, the review of the U.S. counterdrug intelligence centers and activities was commissioned by the Attorney General, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of National Drug Control Policy, and supported by the Secretaries of Defense, Transportation, and State. The review, conducted by a White House Task Force (WHTF), satisfied the requirement for a study of the national counterdrug intelligence architecture called for in the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1998, and a review of the National Drug Intelligence Center required by the 1998 Intelligence Authorization Act.
The WHTF reviewed the counterdrug intelligence structure over a seven-month period. Our representatives, meeting first as the Senior Working Group (SWG) and later as the Counterdrug Intelligence Coordinating Group (CDICG), addressed the resulting issues. Today, we are pleased to present the General Counterdrug Intelligence Plan (GCIP), the culmination of the deliberations by the SWG and CDICG, which reflects the commitments of the members of the President's Council on Counter-Narcotics whose signatures appear below.
The GCIP establishes a national counterdrug intelligence architecture and advances an action agenda that promotes the strength and versatility of our counterdrug intelligence systems to better support our Federal, state and local law enforcement officers, as well as policymakers, and international partners in the continuing efforts to rid our nation of this deadly scourge. Further, it underscores the necessity of interagency efforts, demonstrates the strength of our commitment, and advances cooperation among the law enforcement and intelligence communities to achieve the Administration's counterdrug goals.
We commend the CDICG, the SWG, and the WHTF for their concerted efforts to complete this plan and their continuing dedication to the nation's counterdrug initiatives.
We are pleased to submit the General Counterdrug Intelligence Plan for your approval.
Sincerely,
