The Presidency and the Management of National Security

Since 1947, the president's primary means of controlling the various national security agencies has been the National Security Council and its staff. Lord's study includes an analytical review of the NSC's history and the system of interagency policy development associated with it. In his view, the proper function of the NSCstrategic planninghas been largely misunderstood; ``bureaucratic pathology'' plus a lack of centralized direction and control tend to interfere with its effectiveness. The president needs a personal staff with broad authority to manage the security policy process, Lord argues; he recommends the strengthening of the NSC's organizational structure by according the national security advisor the equivalent of cabinet rank, with precedence over the CIA director and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Now research director of the National Institute for Public Policy, Lord served (1981-83) as the NSC's director of international communications and information policy. (Nov.)