SOME FEAR THE CIA is being too cautious in its use of lethal force against terrorists hostile to the United States:

One former intelligence official said even the CIA's new Hellfire missile, which can be launched from the remotely piloted Predator aerial platform, is bogged down by the excessively legalistic attitude of the agency's senior management.

"From personal experience, I can tell you, you have to build a brief of almost court-level evidence before you can even contemplate shooting a Hellfire missile at one of these guys," said Michael Scheuer, a former CIA official who once led the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

The CIA has been intimidated by those using its mistakes for political gain:

Roger Cressey, deputy counterterrorism director at the White House during President Bush's first term, said he, too, is concerned that the CIA has "begun to look over its shoulder."

"There needs to be a compact between Congress, the agencies and the White House," he said. "We are going to make mistakes. We are even going to kill the wrong people sometimes. That's the inherent risk of an aggressive counterterrorism program."

Mr. Cressey added that there was concern among front-line agents that they would be held responsible for such errors.

"What we need is everyone to understand that it is being done with the best of intentions and not go running to the press whenever it becomes politically expedient to do so."