[Intelforum] Homeland Security and the Analysis of Foreign Intelligence

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Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 14:51:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Stephen Marrin <spm8p at yahoo.com>
Subject: Homeland Security and the Analysis of Foreign Intelligence
To: intelforum at lists101.his.com

For those interested in CIA's analytic practices and
how they address the terrorist threat, below is a link
to and information about a paper that addresses those
subjects....

In 2002 I wrote a paper titled "Homeland Security and
the Analysis of Foreign Intelligence" which describes
how foreign intelligence analysis contributes to
homeland security. It begins with an overview of the
structure and operations of the intelligence community
(p. 2-6), and then focuses more tightly on CIA's
analytic practices (p. 6-12) before addressing the
role of the DCI's Counterterrorist Center in providing
intelligence analysis to national level decisionmakers
(p. 12-14).

Parts of the paper have been OBE'd with the recent
creation of the DNI, NCTC and other changes, but for
those interested in intelligence analysis processes,
starting on p.6 this paper provides a highly detailed
inside look at how CIA analysts do what they do as
written by a former CIA analyst. In addition, the
following statement copied from the conclusion still
holds:
"Change is a constant in the intelligence analysis
profession. Technologies change, organizational
structures change, and procedures change. Yet the
importance of personal relationships is a constant in
the production of finished intelligence. In order to
access informal knowledge from collectors throughout
the Intelligence Community, benefit from the comments
of analytic counterparts, and produce analysis
relevant to policymakers, personal relationships are
crucial." (p15)

I wrote this background paper in 2002 at the request
of Philip Zelikow--then executive director of the
Markle Task Force on National Security in the
Information Age--who asked that I address the role
that foreign intelligence analysis--especially that
produced by the DCI Counterterrorist Center--played in
protecting homeland security. The draft was
subsequently posted to the Markle Foundation Task
Force website, where it can also be acquired:
http://markletaskforce.org/documents/marrin_071502.pdf

It has since been re-printed in the Association of
Former Intelligence Officer's journal "Intelligencer"
(V.14.N.1--Winter/Spring 2004. 43-51.) but I never
took the opportunity to let others like yourselves who
are interested in intelligence issues know about its
availability. I hope it is of interest to you, and
welcome any comments you may have.

Regards,

Stephen Marrin
PhD Candidate (former CIA and GAO analyst)
Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics
University of Virginia