The result was an all-out Pentagon effort to build a formidable covert capability to fight terrorism, rescue hostages and carry the war to clandestine enemies wherever they challenged American interests.

Beyond a large-scale political-military commitment to build up a covert or clandestine capability using American personnel on the ground, either military or CIA, there was a still larger option that could have been considered-invading Afghanistan itself.

America needs a covert capability and not just a C.I.A. army of eavesdroppers.

More recently, North Korea has unveiled previously covert nuclear capabilities, and it may be too late to force its disarmament.

We need a covert capability to monitor threats and to contribute to timely action against them.

All of this suggests that Iraq after 1996 further compartmentalized its program and focused on maintaining smaller covert capabilities that could be activated quickly to surge the production of biological weapons agents.

It is common knowledge that, in addition to the P5 countries, other countries have illegally acquired a covert nuclear capability.

What have we got in the way of covert capability out there?

Black denotes dependability and suggests covert capabilities.

(3 cloaks, 1 dagger) Israeli intelligence, its mission given piquancy by national survival needs, remains strong on covert capability in its region and Europe, thin in Africa.