| ® || 146 | HOW AMERICA LOST ITS SECRETS multibillion-dollar enterprise of outsourcing the management of the NSA’s computer networks and other technical work to outside con- tractors. It also casts doubts on the post-9/11 decision by the intel- ligence community to strip away much of the NSA’s “stovepiping” that previously insulated its most sensitive computers. Without such stovepiping, any rogue civilian employee could bring down the entire edifice of shared intelligence. A finding that Snowden had acted in concert with others in breach- ing compartments at the NSA would hardly be any more reassuring. Such collaboration among intelligence workers would reflect gravely on the mind-set of the NSA. Snowden described an atmosphere in which intelligence workers exchanged lewd photographs of foreign suspects. Some NSA employees met to protest the NSA policies. Did this violation of the NSA‘s rules also involve abetting the theft of documents? If so, the NSA would have to evaluate further vulner- abilities that might arise when it entrusts its secrets to technicians who do not share its values. A collaborative breach would signal an immense failure of the present concept of the counterintelligence © regime in the NSA. © From what I gathered from government officials who were famil- iar with the investigation, there was a concern that answering the “how” question would rouse serious doubts about the very ability of the NSA to carry out its core mission of protecting the govern- ment’s intelligence secrets. However it was organized, it was clear that Snowden had played a major role in what amounted to a bril- liant intelligence coup. | | Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.z.indd 146 © 9/2916 5:51PM | | HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019634