Introduction
Prepared By: The Center for the Studies of Intelligence
This compendium of previously published articles from Studies in Intelligence spans some 50 years and focuses on key aspects of the Intelligence Community (IC) relationship with US policymakers. It could not be more timely: these essays touch upon fundamental issues that perpetually test intelligence producers and consumers alike—issues at the heart of current day controversies swirling around the US Intelligence Community.
A review of interview transcripts and past studies on the relationship between the intelligence and policy communities conducted by the Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI) identified consistent themes related to the types of information policymakers need to orient them to the Intelligence Community (IC) when they arrive in Washington. Most common among them are the intelligence and warning cycles; the agencies of the IC and their collection and operational capabilities; the analytic and coordination process; the products available and who produces them; tasking and feedback mechanisms; how to leverage and ask smart questions of the IC; classification restrictions; counterintelligence realities; and lessons learned or best practices on working most effectively with the IC. The review also found that a range of IC orientation materials already have been developed and are available to cover these themes for policymakers.
Editor’s Note: The 65 links to Studies articles and selected monographs were restored on 5 May 2022.