The Role of Intelligence Analysis in the War on Terrorism

Abstract

Abstract : The United States government must provide the intelligence community's analytical force with the necessary resources and capabilities in order to use intelligence analysis as an effective weapon in the War on Terrorism. Reviewing the studies and programs in place to improve analysis demonstrates acknowledgement of a shortfall in the analytical field and the need for improvement. The Director of Central Intelligence's Strategic Investment Plan for Intelligence Community Analysis provided outstanding guidance for the analytic community, but from its inception was resource-constrained. The community recognizes a need to adopt new recruitment, hiring and staffing processes and more flexible personnel management policies to attract and retain the right work force. Some of the intelligence community's successful analytical training efforts include the Central Intelligence Agency's Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis, programs at the Defense Intelligence Agency's Joint Military Intelligence College, and Red Team Training. Equipping analysts with the right tools includes maximizing information sharing, collaborating with the scientific field, and investing in research and development of analytical tools. To be successful analyzing one of the most difficult targets, the intelligence community understands it needs the right people, training, and tools, all of which can best be accomplished with significant increases in resources.