This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I have had the privilege of serving our country both in and out of uniform. For more than four decades, from my time as a junior officer in the Air Force through my time as director of both the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, I worked to do everything I could to keep Americans safe and free. If this experience taught me anything, it was that the numerous threats we face to our security — from Russia and China to terrorism and cybersecurity — require smart, tough and informed leadership.
Today, that kind of leadership can be in short supply. Too many on both sides of the aisle seem to decide critical security issues not on what's objectively best for the country, but rather on what will most appeal to certain segments of an activist base. Too frequently, the debate on key issues is driven not by full information and sound judgment, but rather by half-truths, exaggerations, and downright falsehoods that fit a particular political narrative.
From targeted killings to the detention and interrogation of terrorists to the gathering of electronic intelligence, the extremes of both left and the right have—all too often—tried to make policy based on ideologically based assumptions and preconceptions, an approach that, quite simply, courts disaster.
While we no doubt face great challenges — both from those who wish to do us harm and from our own shortcomings — we also have enormous assets in the fight to keep Americans safe, none of which are greater than the selfless service of the brave and hard-working men and women of our law enforcement, intelligence and military communities. In particular, Utahns should feel exceptionally proud of and confident in the professionals working every day to keep them safe.
Last week, I was honored to appear at a conference organized by Utah's U.S. Attorney's Office that brought together people from around the state and around the nation to discuss the most pressing challenges in today's threat environment. In my time there, I was consistently impressed by the pioneering ways in which these dedicated public servants are working to keep their fellow Utahns safe.
Utahns are also playing a critical role in the security of the entire nation. Consider just a few examples. In August, a squadron of Hill Air Force Base's F-35 aircraft was declared ready for combat, becoming the first unit in the Air Force capable of deploying the world's most sophisticated fighter. Moreover, Hill's depot maintenance and sustainment facilities — which depend on Utah's highly-skilled workforce — will keep these planes in fighting shape for years to come as they become the backbone of our air combat force.
Utah's highly educated workforce also supports NSA, the agency I led, with its critical missions in cybersecurity and intelligence collection.
Utah has one other major asset on these critical security issues: Sen. Orrin Hatch. I got to know the senator during my time heading two of our nation's major intelligence agencies. As the longest-serving member of his party on the Senate Intelligence Committee, I found the senator to be the rare lawmaker who — thanks to his unique experience — possessed not only a deep and sophisticated understanding of our most critical national security programs, but also the ability and willingness to deliver the legislation needed to keep this country safe.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, Hatch has been a key architect of essentially every major law enforcement and intelligence reform, absolutely vital legislation that keeps us safe and free. From recommending the appointment of Utah's prosecutors and judges to championing key reforms to ensure the success of the F-35 program, Hatch has played an indispensable role in keeping our country safe and ensuring Utah continues its substantial contribution to our national security. His ability to deliver real results makes him an absolutely unique asset to this state and to the nation.
Utah has consistently shown real leadership in how it keeps its own citizens safe while also contributing to the security of the nation. Those attributes will be even more important as we address today's new threats and challenges.
Gen. Michael Hayden is the former director of the CIA and NSA and is now a principal with The Chertoff Group. His recent memoir, "Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror," has been a New York Times best-seller.