As a beat reporter covering the CIA and intelligence world after the terrorist attacks of 2001, I could sense that many things I couldn't see or understand were changing, expanding, getting so big they were difficult to manage.

The quote "As a beat reporter covering the CIA and intelligence world after the terrorist attacks of 2001, I could sense that many things I couldn't see or understand were changing, expanding, getting so big they were difficult to manage." by Dana Priest reflects her experience as a journalist reporting on the CIA and the intelligence world following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Priest, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, acknowledges the profound and often opaque changes occurring in the intelligence community during this period. The quote suggests that while she was witnessing major shifts in the operations and scope of intelligence agencies, many of these changes were difficult to fully comprehend or track due to their complexity and rapid growth.

Priest's statement about sensing things that were "changing, expanding, getting so big they were difficult to manage" highlights the explosive growth and increased scope of intelligence activities post-9/11. The aftermath of the attacks led to a significant expansion of intelligence operations, including the establishment of new agencies, enhanced surveillance programs, and a growing global presence for intelligence gathering. The rapid expansion of these operations made it difficult for even seasoned professionals and journalists to keep up with the evolving landscape of intelligence work.

The quote also hints at the opacity and secrecy inherent in the intelligence community. Priest's admission that she could "sense" changes but couldn’t fully see or understand them speaks to the challenges of covering an industry that operates largely behind closed doors, with much of its work hidden from public view. This reflects the tension between the public's right to know and the secrecy required for national security.

Ultimately, Priest’s quote underscores the challenges faced by journalists trying to report on an intelligence world that was rapidly transforming in the wake of 9/11. It reflects the growing complexity of intelligence operations and the difficulties in understanding and managing the expansive, often secretive systems that developed during that time. It highlights the difficult balance between security and transparency that became even more pronounced in the post-9/11 era.