Exploring the Power Struggle Among the 9 Intelligence Agencies
The United States’ Intelligence Community consists of 9 agencies that are responsible for protecting America’s national security. These agencies work together in secrecy to gather and analyze intelligence from across the globe. However, it’s not always smooth sailing for this community, as there are power struggles among the agencies. In this article, we will explore the power struggle among the 9 intelligence agencies.
What is the Intelligence Community?
The United States Intelligence Community (IC) is a group of 17 government agencies and organizations that work together to collect and analyze intelligence, as well as provide national security information to the country’s leaders. The 9 agencies that we will focus on are the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
Power Struggle Among the 9 Intelligence Agencies
Each of the 9 intelligence agencies is responsible for specific areas of intelligence, making them unique and important to the IC as a whole. However, this uniqueness can sometimes lead to a power struggle. The CIA, for example, is responsible for human intelligence (HUMINT) gathering, while the NSA focuses on signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection. These two agencies can often clash over access to information and resources.
Furthermore, the DIA is responsible for military intelligence, while the FBI is responsible for domestic intelligence, such as counterterrorism efforts. These two agencies can also often come into conflict over jurisdiction and information sharing.
Examples of Power Struggles Among the 9 Intelligence Agencies
In 2013, the CIA and NSA were involved in a power struggle over access to a computer network used by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The CIA feared that the NSA was trying to invade their turf by accessing the JSOC network, which held valuable HUMINT information. This led to a public dispute between the two agencies.
In another instance, the FBI and DIA were in a power struggle over the handling of information related to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. The DIA had intelligence that the Russian government had warned the FBI about one of the bombers, but the FBI failed to act on the information. The DIA was frustrated with the FBI’s handling of the situation, leading to tension and mistrust between the two agencies.
The Importance of Collaboration Among the Intelligence Agencies
While there are power struggles among the intelligence agencies, it’s important to remember that they have a shared mission of protecting national security. Collaboration and information sharing are crucial in achieving this mission. The IC has made efforts to increase collaboration among the agencies, such as the creation of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in 2004. This office was created to oversee and coordinate the intelligence activities of the 17 agencies and improve collaboration and communication.
Conclusion
The power struggle among the 9 intelligence agencies can sometimes hamper collaboration and information sharing. However, it’s important to remember that they have a shared mission of protecting national security. The IC has made efforts to increase collaboration, and it’s important that these efforts continue to be a priority. While the agencies have unique responsibilities, they must work together to ensure that they are providing the best possible intelligence to protect the country.
