NGA's nurturing of a private sector organization to coordinate standards and investments is also a model for the rest of the US Government.  It needs to be internationalized, and a special role must be given to the Russians, Indians and yes--for something completely different--the French.  Africa should be our first multinational geospatial test-bed.  NGA's decision to release the shuttle mission Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) for free (it's not actually free, NGA has to pay $500,000 or so for each region to be made available), is nothing short of brilliant.  The UN, the WEU Satellite Centre, and the African nations, need to come together on this, and focus on getting to hard copy contemporary 1:50,000 combat charts--and their digital underlayers, for the five complex emergencies taking place in Africa today.

Last comment:  Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld was brilliant to bring in General Pete Schoomaker from retirement to serve as Chief of Staff of the Army.  General Jim Clapper has our vote for a fourth star and recall from retirement to be the first Combatant Commander for Intelligence.  There is no other person who has run DIA, NGA, and a modern business enterprise, and who appears to be considerably more open to innovation than any of the other 40 or so flags we have known.  Studeman, Gray, Stackpole, Zinni, Hayden, Schoomaker, Clapper--this is our very short list of world class operators we trust to do it right.