U.S. National CI Strategy Development
After reviewing Lesson two, and the required reading and video for the week, discuss the historical shaping forces (technology, war, political dynamics, terrorism, economic, religion, social) that have affected the development of the United States’ strategic counterintelligence strategy at the national security level?
Please discuss at least one significant event from each of the following: WWII, the Cold War, and Post 9/11 time periods.
How might have these events contributed to a particular mission objective in the U.S. National CI Strategy?
Please review the current US National Counterintelligence Strategy of 2016 before posting your response.
Make sure to include information from our required material for the week in your discussion. Cite your sources.
U.S. National CI Strategy Development
History shows that one of the strongest weapons is information. If a country strives for security at all levels, it should prevent its information from being captured by enemy. Counterintelligence refers to activity aiming to protect against espionage that can undermine the economy and overthrow the government. The US has developed its counterintelligence strategy through the prism of many historical events like the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War II, the Cold War, terrorist attack on the 9th of September 2011, etc. All those events have long been shaping the contemporary US policy on countering the foreign intelligence entities and insiders threats.
The issue goes back to the first president of the United States, George Washington, who directed wide-ranging road map of clandestine operations that gave Continentals a chance against the British, the reigning power at that time. More than 10 per cent of federal budget was allocated for secret service. James Madison used the fund to engage agents for making Spain to relinquish Florida. As Civil War outbroke, the forces of both the Union and the Confederative States engaged sophisticated clandestine activities. Hot-air balloons were used to detect and trace troop movements. The Confederacy had an array of secret agents that collected intelligence and carried out sabotage and other covert actions. The Confederates tried to organize antiwar elements in the states of Illinois and Ohaio in movement to leave the Union. Both parties spread propaganda in Europe to get the upper hand in the commercial sphere on the international scale. All in all, the Union was more successful in espionage and counterintelligence, while Confederates took a shot at covert operations. During the 1880’s the first US intelligence organizations appeared: the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Army’s Military Intelligence Division. US military forces intercepted communication between Maris and Spanish military commanders in Cuba. The US Secret Service – in charge of domestic counterintelligence during the war – broke up a Spanish spy ring based in Montreal before it could infiltrate the U.S. Army.
At the beginning of 20th century the world faced a new international calamity: the World War I. The US counterintelligence capability had shrunk because of the insufficient funding and bureaucratic reorganizations of US government. Nonetheless, US intelligence had advanced in establishing permanent communications intelligence agency. The Secret …
