COURSE OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION TO US INTELLIGENCE
Teacher: Mark Lowenthal Academic year 2017/2018: Paris School of International Affairs – Fall Semester
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Dr. Lowenthal is the President of the Intelligence & Security Academy, in Arlington, Virginia. He has held a number of senior positions in U.S. intelligence, including: Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis & Production; Vice Chairman for Evaluation, National Intelligence Council; Staff Director, House Intelligence Committee; and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence. He also served as the Senior Specialist in U.S. Foreign Policy at the Library of Congress. Dr. Lowenthal currently teaches a course on intelligence at the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, the Johns Hopkins University. From 1994- 2008, Dr. Lowenthal taught at the School for International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. Dr. Lowenthal has written eight books (including two novels) and over 100 studies or articles. His book, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, now in its 7th edition, is the standard college and graduate school textbook on the topic in the United States. Dr. Lowenthal’s degrees are all in history: a Ph.D. and A.M. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Brooklyn College. Ijn 1988, Dr. Lowenthal was the Grand Champion on the television quiz show, Jeopardy!.
COURSE OUTLINE
Session 1: What Is Intelligence?
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 1 • Johnson & Wirtz: Part I, 1 (Herman) • Gregory F. Treverton, et al, “Toward a Theory of Intelligence,” http://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/2006/RAND_CF219.pdf
Key questions: What do we mean by intelligence?
Why do states have intelligence agencies?
Which factors in the role and function of intelligence are fairly stable; which have changed over time?
Session 2: Historical Development of U.S. Intelligence
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chaps. 2 & 3
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• The National intelligence Strategy of the United States of America, 2014, http://www.odni.gov/files/documents/2014_NIS_Publication.pdf
Key Questions: What have been the major events, trends in the development of U.S. intelligence?
What do these events and trends tell us about how U.S. intelligence operates today?
Session 3: The Intelligence Process: Who Does What for Whom?
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 4 • Johnson & Wirtz: Part II, 5 (Hulnick)
Key Questions: What are the parts of the intelligence process?
What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each part?
Assess the overall success or failure of the intelligence process.
Session 4: Intelligence Collection
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 5 • Johnson & Wirtz: Part II, 6-8 (Warner, Hitz, Mercado)
Key Questions: What are the five INTs?
What are their relative strengths and weaknesses?
Which issues are best addressed by which INTs?
How might collection change over the next 5-10 years?
Session 5: Intelligence Analysis
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 6 • Johnson & Wirtz: Part III, 10 (Betts); Part IX, 35 (Pillar) • Jack Davis, “Strategic Warning: If Surprise is Inevitable, What Role for Analysis?” http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/Kent_Papers/index.html
Key Questions: What are the key stresses and strains in intelligence analysis?
How would you define “good” analysis? “Successful” analysis? What are the obstacles to achieving “good analysis”?
Session 6: Operations: Counterintelligence; Covert Action
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chaps. 7 & 8
COURSE OUTLINE
• Johnson & Wirtz: Part VI, 20 & 22 (Barry, Berkwoitz) • Charney, David L., M.D. “True Psychology of the Insider Spy,” Intelligencer Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies, Fall/Winter, 2010, 18: 47-54. http://www.ncix.gov/issues/ithreat/docs/Charney- PsychologyofInsiderSpyAFIO-INTEL_Fall-Winter2010.pdf • U.S. Department of Justice. “Lawfulness of a Lethal Operation Directed Against a U.S. Citizen Who Is a Senior Operational Leader of Al-Qa’ida or An Associated Force.” Washington, D.C., draft November 8, 2011. Available at www.justice.gov/oip/docs/dept-white-paper.pdf.
Key Questions: What is meant by counterintelligence?
What are the differences between offensive and defensive counterintelligence?
Why do people become spies?
Is covert action legitimate?
How does covert action affect the policy-intelligence relationship?
What are the risks of different types of covert action?
Session 7: The Role of the Policy Maker
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 9 • Johnson & Wirtz, Part IV, 14 (Lowenthal) • Jack Davis, “Tensions in Analyst-Policymaker Relations: Opinions, Facts, and Evidence,” http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/Kent_Papers/index.html
Key Questions: What do policy makers want or expect from intelligence?
What are the major stresses and strains in the policy-intelligence relationship?
Session 8: Oversight & Accountability: Executive and Congress
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 10 • Johnson & Wirtz, Part VIII, 27, 29 (Treverton, Manget)
Key Questions: What do we mean by oversight?
Why is it necessary in a democracy?
Are there limits to oversight?
What are the stresses and strains in oversight?
Session 9: The Old Intelligence Agenda
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 11
COURSE OUTLINE
Key Questions: What were the main hallmarks of intelligence performance during the Cold War?
Are any of the lessons learned applicable today?
Session 10: The New Intelligence Agenda
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 12 • Johnson & Wirtz, Part IX, 34 & 36 (Wirtz, Burch) • DNI Clapper’s Worldwide threat Assessment, February 26, 2015 http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/Unclassified_2015_ATA_SFR_-_SASC_FINAL.pdf • Global Trends 2030, http://www.dni.gov/index.php/about/organization/global-trends-2030
Key Questions: How has the intelligence agenda changed? What are th key differences between the Cold War and modern intelligence agendas?
What are the most daunting policy issues for intelligence?
Session 11: Ethical & Moral Issues in Intelligence
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 13
Key Questions: What are the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by all intelligence activities?
Can we establish moral and ethical guidelines for intelligence?
Session 12: The Future of Intelligence
Required readings: • Lowenthal, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, chap. 14 • Johnson & Wirtz, Epilogue
Key Questions: Where is intelligence going over the next 5-10 years?