THE VALUE OF COVERT OPERATIONS AS AN INTELLIGENCE

The value of Covert Operations as an intelligence function of the CIA

Covert Operations as an intelligence function of the CIA in providing preventive intelligence in the American war on terror

Introduction

Efforts to improve, alter, or reorganise the U.S Intelligence community have been an ongoing attempt of the U.S. intelligence community itself. The terrorist attacks in 2001 conveyed renewed calls for intelligence reform, with some of the most persistent advocates contending, “if not now, when. What is certain is that the debate over U.S. intelligence reform will proceed on, largely on its own momentum, with heightened attention throughout crises or after incidents deemed to be intelligence failures. There have been recent changes to the U.S. intelligence community since 9/11. One of them has been the supplement of another agency to the monstrosity that is the bureaucracy of the intelligence community, which is composed of 15 intelligence agencies at present, encompassing those inside the State, Defence, Homeland Security, Treasure, Energy, and Justice (counterintelligence) Departments. So far efforts at reform have been either too tough to manage or too democratically charged to be acceptable. Further, efforts at reform have nearly habitually been triggered by perceptions of failure or signs of scandal.

1- The increasing importance of the Covert Operations, next the intelligence reform and terrorism prevention proceed of 2004.

The first few years of the 21st century have witnessed a transformation in the role of secret intelligence in international affairs. Intelligence and security issues are now more prominent than ever before, in Western political discourse as well as the wider public consciousness. as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Modelled after the military's battler instructions, these ''national intelligence centres'' are to aim on specific issues and regions. The 9/11 Commission recognises that the issues are less technical than principle related in nature. In that sense, the prime purpose of the centres is to help policy-makers coordinate data by pooling intelligence and streamlining data channels. International terrorism is recognized as a threat to U.S. foreign, as well as domestic, security. Both timing and target selection by terrorists can affect U.S. interests in areas extending from preservation of commerce to nuclear nonproliferation to the Middle East peace process. A increasing number of analysts expresses concern that fundamental Islamist assemblies seek to exploit economic and political Note that this was widely believed by numerous to be true of Iraq under Saddam Hussein.  Facing the likelihood that a number of states might reduce or remove their sponsorship of terrorist associations, such associations appear to be seeking and establishing operating bases in countries that need functioning central governments or that manage not exercise effective command over their nationwide territory.  Terrorists have been able to develop their own sources of financing, which range from NGOs and charities to illegal enterprises for example narcotics, extortion, and kidnapping. (Pitt, M., Goyal, S. 2004  pp.87-99.)

 

2- Comments of the Obama Administration on the theme and references to the US senate papers and ...