So, someone let it slip that the intelligence budget is about $44 billion. Now, that seems a bit low, considering that the Department of Defense Budget (which I believe is separate) is some $400 billion. Now, let's look to how that budget is used.

Not much has been made in the blogosphere about the fact John Negroponte, intelligence czar, is called to testify in Congress this week about why he performs so pathetically at his job. Well, those are my words. The real reason is "to answer concerns about whether his new office is meeting the goals Congress envisioned in a 2004 intelligence overhaul".

Short answer to that inquiry: hell no.

Tomorrow's closed door meeting can be expected to be a contentious one, with staffers on both side of the aisle alluding to great frustration with Negroponte: