Spooks praised for work on Chinese ASAT test

Apparently we (the US) got good data on the test, so there's some hope
that the currently murky public picture of what the ASAT is like may
be clarified at some time in the future.

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Washington AeroSpace Briefing
February 16, 2007, p.1

Rare Kudos for the IC

The much criticized intelligence community is getting high marks from
some of its customers for its work -- both technical and political --
on the Jan. 11 Chinese test of a kinetic anti-satellite missile.

"In our bureau, we're huge consumers of intelligence," Paula DeSutter,
assistant secretary of State for verification, compliance, and
implementation, told us in a recent interview. "I don't very often say
that I am extremely well pleased with the way the intelligence
community performed, but on this, both in terms of keeping an eye on
things but also in terms of letting policy-makers know on a timely
basis, they've really done a terrific job."

A military space expert who has detailed knowledge of the test said
the intelligence community did a tremendous job of getting the
national technical means in place, interpreting the data in a timely
manner and disseminating the data and what it meant. Now, this source
said, analysts and policymakers need to decide what actions to take in
response to the test.