Intelligence Power in Peace and War

EAN: 9780521562317
Published: 24/10/1996
Language: English

Intelligence services form an important but controversial part of the modern state. Drawing mainly on British and American examples, this book provides an analytic framework for understanding the 'intelligence community' and assessing its value. The author, a former senior British intelligence officer, describes intelligence activities, the purposes which the system serves, and the causes and effects of its secrecy. He considers 'intelligence failure' and how organisation and management can improve the chances of success. Using parallels with the information society and the current search for efficiency in public administration as a whole, the book explores the issues involved in deciding how much intelligence is needed and discusses the kinds of management necessary. In his conclusions Michael Herman discusses intelligence's national value in the post-Cold War world. He also argues that it has important contributions to make to international security, but that its threat-inducing activities should be kept in check.

Introduction
Part I. Evolution and Outline
1. Antecedents
2. Organizations
3. Resources, stages and subjects
Part II. Components and Boundaries
4. Collection sources
5. Collection characteristics
6. All-source analysis and assessment
7. Boundaries
Part III. Effects
8. Intelligence and national action
9. International action
10. Intelligence and security
11. Intelligence threats
12. Intelligence cooperation
Part IV. Accuracy
13. Failure and remedies
14. Problems of defence intelligence
15. Top level assessment
Part V. Evolution and Management
16. The production process
17. Managing the community
18. The agency manager
Part VI. The 1990s and Beyond
19. National importance
20. International dimensions
Part VII. Summary
21. Modern intelligence power.