Intel and Policy Mid-Term Study Guide
What are National Technical Means?
A variety of monitoring techniques to verify the adherence to international treaties. Often used to monitor comliance in arms control agreements and the nonrpoliferation of chemical weapons capabilities. Techniques include the use of satelite imagery, measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), onsite inspections, materials intelligence and air quality sampling.
What is a collection agency?
Any individual, organization, or unit that has access to sources of information and the capability of collecting from them. The legal customers that ask for the intelligence are the President, National Security Council, heads of departments and agencies of the executive branch, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and senior military commanders, and congress.
What are the socio-cultural, political, and historical biases that can or do affect the conduct of US Intel activities and the reception of intel judgments by policy officials, Congress, and general public? (BLUF ONLY for this one; more questions)
BLUF: The intelligence services of a country somewhat reflect the historical narrative, political and social culture, ethos, and beliefs of a society. There are several factors that impose biases upon the conduct of intelligence activities and reception of US intelligence judgements; these biases span history, social and cultural, and political factors.
What is the official definition of intelligence?
1) The product resulting from the collection, processing, integration, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of available information concerning foreign nations, hostile or potentially hostile forces or elements, or areas of actual or potential operations. 2) The activities that result in the product. 3) The organizations engaged in such activities.
What are the cultural biases that can or do affect the conduct of US intel activities and the reception of intel judgements by policy officials, congress, and general public?
Certain ideologies of US culture affect the manner in which the USIC conducts intelligence activities. Analysts' conceptualization of information is influence by their worldviews, and US culture impacts the worldview of a person In general, US culture has a lot of pride in US founding and the previously mentioned psychological self sufficiency leads to ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism: tendency to assume everyone wants to be like us. Ethnocentrism impacts intelligence activities as it imposes biases on analysts. An analyst who is biased in this sense (limited cultural intelligence) will find it had to understand the plethora of ways/reasons why foreign nations do not act the in the same way we do. Varying ideologies, religions, views and beliefs influence how foreign governments operate, and it is critical for an analyst to keep an open mind to be able to understand the impact of these. Ethnocentrism is problematic because it can then lead to idealism: Idealism is the notion that regardless of ethnic origin, religious belief, and so on, foreign governments possesses the same values and moral underpinnings as Americans (ie progress, change, life, liberty, etc.). Idealism thereby impacts the conduct of intelligence in that it reinforces biases imposed on analysts. The effect of idealism can be seen in the manner in which the US has failed in the past to detect the powerful motivator of religion as an ideology prior to the Iran Revolution, or again in the Arab Spring
What are cognitive biases?
Cognitive biases are a systematic pattern of deviation from normal or rationality judgement. This is when an analyst may create their own subjective reality of the intelligence collected, and do not remain objective. Cognitive biases can lead to perceptual distortion and faulty judgements. Cognitivie biases may lead an analyst to search for information that confirms their preconcepts or try to discredit information that does not support their preconceptions.
What is the Foreign Surveillance Act?
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was created in 1978 amidst FBI violation of civil liberties in domestic CI investigations. FISA prescribes procedures for requesting judicial authorization for electronic surveillance and physical search of persons engaged in espionage or international terrorism against the US on behalf of a foreign power. The ambiguous legal situation and authorities of the FBI during WWII and the Cold War led to abuses, including warrantless entry operations, and warrantless electronic surveillance of US citizens and foreign nationals in US suspected of espionage. The creation of the FISA was a compromise to establish mandatory framework for domestic CI investigative activity and operations within the US. It is the legal cornerstone that underpins USCI investigations.
How is HUMINT valuable?
HUMINT is valuable for analysts when assessing the plans and intentions of governments or non-state actors, where capabilities alone are not enough to infer what actions a foreign target may take.
What are the historical biases that can or do affect the conduct of US intel activities and the reception of intel judgements by policy officials, congress, and general public?
History affects how we conceptualize reality, and this can be seen in the manner in which the emergence of the USIC reflects the ethos of the US during various key points of history. Birth of the US - no strong emphasis on establishing an intelligence entity; however, intelligence and secrecy were valued. This value can be seen in the secrecy of the Constitutional Convention. As the nation evolved into a primarily commercial/trading nation, a psychological self-sufficiency developed, and this would go on to be problematic as it enforced a cultural bias that foreign nations would act in a way similar to the US. The emergence of formal and coordinated US intelligence agencies and structures as a product of WWII reflected our ethos as a nation during that time. A war mindset was shared; the general public, Congress, and policy officials were all pretty much on the same page that a coordinated intelligence sutrcutre was needed to protect the US from foreign threats in an expanding world.
What is HUMINT?
Human Intelligence (HUMINT) is one of the five main intelligence source and is also the oldest form of intelligence collection. HUMINT is covert intelligence-gathering through interpersonal contact by agents, spies, or through other sources. It is a category of intelligence that is derived from information collected and provided by human sources only. The main collecting agency of HUMINT is the CIA. HUMINT can provide several kinds of information to include observations during travel, refugees, escaped friendly POWs, defectors etc. It can provide data on things about which the subject has specific knowledge about or sensitive information in which they have access to. Finally, it can provide information on interpersonal relationships and networks of interest.
What is intelligence analysis?
Intelligence analysis is the process by which collected information is evaluated and integrated with existing information to facilitate intelligence production. It is the fourth step of the intelligence cycle and it is the process in the production of intelligence in which intelligence information is subjected to systematic examination in order to identify significant facts and derive conclusions.
What is intelligence collection and collection cycle?
Intelligence collection is the acquisition of information or intelligence information and the provision of it to processing and/or production elements. Collection is the exploitation of sources by collection agencies, and the delivery of the information obtained to the appropriate. Collection cycle:
What is mirror imaging?
Mirror imaging is the tendency to project our own beliefs, values, assumptions, and/or cultures onto the behavior/values of foreign nation. This is a personality trap that could happen to an intelligence analyst and lead to faulty judgements.
What is the National Intelligence Estimate?
National intelligence estimates (NIEs) are produced by the national intelligence council. NIEs represent the highest level of judgement by the entire intelligence community. Basic contents of an NIE include an esplanation of terms and confidence levels, the scope note, key judgements, body of estimate, figures and tables, and comments of peer reviews. An NIE is usually a form of long-term analysis that provides basic facts and foundational data on the issue, then assessments and reports on recent development trends; then any ongoing developments; and lastly estimative judgements or predictions re intentions, capabilities, and/or courses of action.
What is open source intelligene?
OSINT is information that is publicly available to anyone through legal means, which is subsequently acquired, validated, interpreted, processed, and analyzed. The collection of information from unclassified, public available sources and analyzing its significant to the US government. Sources include the media, radio, TV, computer based information, data in the government reports, press releases, speeches, and professional and academic journals. OSC is the primary agency collecting open source intelligence.
What are the political biases that can or do affect the conduct of US intel activities and the reception of intel judgements by policy officials, congress, and general public?
Politicization - A main standard of intelligence is that it remains objective; however, as discussed in the Gentry article, at times intelligence does become politicized both top-down (from the policymaker's perspective in terms of interpreting the intelligence [cherry picking]) and down-up (from the analyst's perspective in terms of interpreting and analyzing evidence [ self-censoring]). The political climate can impart biases on intelligence Politically motivated pressures may causes an analyst to self-censor and bias the analyst to the manner in which information is analyzed Seen in the Iraq WMD debacle wherein evidence was interpreted to confirm because it was known that was what the President wanted. And policymakers cherrypicking evidence that fit their policy goals
What are structured analytical techniques (SAT)?
SATs are techniques designed to make analysts thinking more open and comprehensive which allows for better a better review and critique process. SATs are techniques used to provide more rigor to analytic judgements and to make them more transparent and testable. SATS mitigate mindsets and biases separately, systematically, and sufficiently Examples: structured brainstorming; key assumptions check; devil's advocacy, etc.
What is signals intelligence (SIGINT)?
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is collected mostly by the NSA under the DOD and it monitors, intercepts, and interprets various forms of technical communications. SIGINT is mainly collected through communication, electronic, foreign instrumentation signals, and cyber intellection. The collection can be done through fixed ground stations, aircraft, reconnaissance satellites, surface ships and subs, close access attacks, specialized mobile vehicles, computer network penetration, and undersea reconnaissance. The reason why SIGINT is important is because it is reliable, hard to strategically deceive, gives you the ability to hear or read an adversary's plan, provides the information in real time or near future time, and allows militaries to track and identify specific types of equipment that is being used by the adversary.
What is Executive Order 13470?
Signed by President Bush, following the passing of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, this eo strengthened the authority of the newly establish Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). It directs the IC to produce timely, accurate, and insightful intelligence with special emphasis on the threats posed by international terrorism.
What is Executive Order 12333?
Signed by President Reagan, it set out the role and responsibilities of intelligence in the U.S. as a whole and by individual agencies, particularly in regards to the protection of civil liberties. Reaffirmed the functions of intelligence agencies (instituted the CI authority of the FBI), set a positive tone for intelligence, and gave CIA greater latitiutde to gather foreign intelligence in the US and assist the FBI in domestic operations. Affirmed the responsibility of the FBI as the domestic CI apparatus and the CIA as the foreign CI apparatus
What agency is the HUMINT collection manager?
The CIA directorate of operations is the national HUMINT collection manager. Examples would be information collected clandestinely by agents, obtained from foreign intelligence services of other governments (Liaison), or more openly by diplomats and military attaches and other government officials.
What is the CIA?
The CIA was first created in 1947 as part of the National Security Act of 1947. The CIA is a civilian foreign intelligence agency that is not under the purview of the DOD, and thus, does not have legal jurisdiction to function within the US. The function of the CIA is to assist the Director of CIA in the following responsibiliies: Collection intelligence (through HUMINT); Correlating and evaluating evidence related to national security; Providing coordination of the collection of foreign national intelligence through human sources with other USIC agencies; and to perform other functions related to intelligence that affect national security to POTUS and/or the DNI. The CIA produces the President's Daily Brief
What is the National Security Act of 1947 (USC 50)?
The National Security Act of 1947 realigned and reorganized the US' armed forces, foreign policy, and intelligence community apparatus in the aftermath of WWII. 1. First Part: The Act streamlined and unified US military establishment by bringing together the Navy Department and War Department under a new Department of Defense, headed by the Secretary of Defense. The Act also created the Department of the Air Force, to be under the DOD as well. 2. Second Part: The Act also established the National Security Council. The purpose of the NSC was to serve as a central place of coordination for national security policy in the Executive Branch. 3. Third Part: Last but not least, the Act also established the CIA as the US' first peacetime intelligence agency with the primary responsibilities to gather intelligence in addition to carrying out clandestine operations overseas.
What is the NSA?
The National Security Agency is the lead USIC agency in cryptology, with the responsibility for protecting US national security information systems, and collecting and dissemminating foreign SIGINT. NSA was created in 1952, after WWII communication activities. The NSA is located under the purview of the DOD and the DNI.
What is the ODNI?
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is the head of the US intelligence community. The ODNI oversees the directing and implementation of national intelligence programs; and is the principle advisor to the POTUS, National Security Council (NSC), and Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to national security.
What is the "intelligence cycle" in the USIC usage?
The intelligence cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers and consumers. The cycle typically includes six steps: 1) planning and direction; 2) collection; 3) processing and exploitation; 4) analysis and production; 5) dissemmination; and 6) evaluation
What is the intelligence cycle?
The intelligence cycle is the process of developing raw data into finished intelligence for consumers (policymakers and decision makers). Six steps in the intelligence cycle: 1) planning and direction; 2) collection; 3) processing and exploitation; 4) analysis and production; 5) dissemmination and integration; and 6) evaluation and feedback
What are the duties of the ODNI?
Timely dissemination of intelligence to POTUS and key national security officials; Establish primary objectives for the IC; Ensure maximum availability and access to intleligence; Formulate the annual intelligence budget, which is part of DOD budget; Oversee intelligence coordination with foreign governments; Promote all-source analysis; Enhance the capacity for agency cohesiveness
What are the social biases that can or do affect the conduct of US intel activities and the reception of intel judgements by policy officials, congress, and general public?
Views between generations impact threat perceptions; and top policy concerns among boomer and millennial generation varies greatly Ultimately, policy makers will focus on issues that have the support of the people and are of concern of the people Millennials tend to care less about reducing illegal immigration, increasing the size of US armed forces, or preventing the spread of WMDs than baby boomers. But pretty even in regards to reducing federal budget deficit and protecting US against terrorist attacks
