Why Secret Intelligence Fails

by Turner, Michael A.

• ISBN13: 9781574888911
• ISBN10: 1574888919
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-01
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc

Summary

Michael Turner argues that the root causes of failures in American intelligence can be found in the way it is organized and in the intelligence process itself. Intelligence that has gone awry affects national decision making and, ultimately, American national security. Intelligence officials are reluctant to talk about intelligence successes, claiming 'œthe secret of our success is the secret of our success.' But these officials also shy away from talking about failures, largely because doing so would expose the failings of American intelligence and have an impact on policy consumers who may become more reluctant to accept and act on the intelligence they receive. Rather than focusing on case studies, the book takes a holistic approach, beginning with structural issues and all dysfunctions that emanate from them. Turner explores each step of the intelligence cycle'”priority setting, intelligence collection, analysis, production, and dissemination'”to identify the 'œinflection points' within each stage that contribute to intelligence failures. Finally, he examines a variety of plans that, if implemented, would reduce the likelihood of intelligence failures. While examining the causes of intelligence failures, Turner also explores intelligence as a critical governmental activity, making the book an excellent primer on secret intelligence. Turner writes in jargon-free prose for the informed reader interested in foreign policy and national security policy matters and brings enough depth to his subject that even experts will find this a must-read.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
List of Abbreviations	xv
The Uncertainty Principle	1	(16)
Intelligence, American Style	17	(26)
Pitfalls of American-Style Intelligence	43	(16)
The Foreign Experience	59	(13)
Requirements and Priorities	72	(16)
Perils of Intelligence Collection	88	(19)
Analytic Snafus	107	(17)
Getting Intelligence to the Right People	124	(8)
Contributing Factors	132	(20)
Intelligence Priorities and Their Challenges	152	(20)
Toward Smarter Intelligence	172	(17)
Notes	189	(31)
Glossary	220	(9)
Bibliography	229	(16)
Index	245	(9)
About the Author	254