Changes

===National Security Council staff===

===National Security Council staff===

The Tower Commission Report on the [[Iran-Contra]] fiasco during the [[Reagan Administration]] reviewed what went wrong in the National Security process and made specific recommendations to avoid future potential abuses of power. The report stated the NSC staff had "developed an important role within the Executive Branch of coordinating policy review, preparing issues for presidential decision, and monitoring implementation. For this reason it has generally operated out of public view and has not been subject to direct oversight by Congress."  In Iran-Contra, the "NSC staff assumed direct operational control," and "Congress was never notified."

The Tower Commission Report on the [[Iran-Contra]] fiasco during the [[Reagan Administration]] reviewed what was wrongn <ref>Tower Commission Report (Report of the President's Special Review Board). February 26, 1987. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402. [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/PS157/assignment%20files%20public/TOWER%20EXCERPTS.htm#PartIV]</ref> in the National Security process and made specific recommendations to avoid future potential abuses of power. The report stated the NSC staff had "developed an important role within the Executive Branch of coordinating policy review, preparing issues for presidential decision, and monitoring implementation. For this reason it has generally operated out of public view and has not been subject to direct oversight by Congress."<ref>Tower Commission Report (Report of the President's Special Review Board). February 26, 1987. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402, p. 13.</ref> In Iran-Contra, the "NSC staff assumed direct operational control,"<ref>Tower Commission Report, p. 62.</ref> and "Congress was never notified."<ref>Tower Commission Report, p. 63.</ref>

   

   

As specific recommendations, the Commission declared "Departments and agencies should not be excluded from participation in the process. The staff should not be implementors or operators;" when the NSC staff "take on implementation responsibilities, they risk compromising their objectivity. They can no longer act as impartial overseers of the implementation, ensuring that Presidential guidance is followed, that policies are kept under review, and that the results are serving the President's policy and the national interest."

As specific recommendations, the Commission declared "Departments and agencies should not be excluded from participation in the process. The staff should not be implementors or operators;"<ref>Tower Commission Report, p. 93.</ref> when the NSC staff "take on implementation responsibilities, they risk compromising their objectivity. They can no longer act as impartial overseers of the implementation, ensuring that Presidential guidance is followed, that policies are kept under review, and that the results are serving the President's policy and the national interest."<ref>Tower Commission Report, p. 92.</ref>

   

   

In August 2009 it was revealed the [[Obama administration]] ignored the Tower Commission Report.

In August 2009 it was revealed the [[Obama administration]] ignored the Tower Commission Report.