I'm not sure whether this should start another thread--it does relate to the issue of being able to translate (and hence exploit) documents, but it has broader implications...

I'm increasingly struck by the relatively low numbers of Middle East-born US nationals who able to get the clearances to do analytical work for CIA, DIA, etc. I've come across this both in meetings with US analysts (where it seems a much, much higher number of our analysts originate from the region), as well as from ex-students with US citizenship but ME origins (even second generation) who have been dropped from agency recruitment processes because of potential clearance issues. (And I do mean potential problems.. not that background checks have turned up anything, but an unwillingness to even start one.)

I fully understand and accept the point that Tom and Ted are making about locally-employed staff. However, is the US intelligence community too restrictive regarding high-level clearances for US citizens with overseas birth or ties?