Hidden threats: reframing the debate on domestic intelligence in an age of counterterrorism
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Authors
Wright, Christopher E.
Subjects
ASIO
Australian Federal Police
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
British Security Service
BBS
Counterterrorism
Domestic Intelligence
FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Intelligence
Intelligence and Democracy
Intelligence Reform
Homeland Security
Metropolitan Police Special Branch
M15
National Security
U.S. Intelligence
U.S. Security Policy
Australian Federal Police
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
British Security Service
BBS
Counterterrorism
Domestic Intelligence
FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Intelligence
Intelligence and Democracy
Intelligence Reform
Homeland Security
Metropolitan Police Special Branch
M15
National Security
U.S. Intelligence
U.S. Security Policy
Advisors
Rasmussen, Maria J.
Date of Issue
2013-03
Date
March 2013
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The attacks of September 11, 2001, revealed a weakness in America’s defense—it lacked sufficient predictive domestic intelligence to prevent terrorism. More than a decade later, the American policy community continues to debate the need for an independent domestic intelligence service focused on counterterrorism. Debate often centers on whether or not the United States should create an intelligence service independent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It has given less attention to what characteristics are expected in a service if one were created. The questions of should and what are naturally intertwined. The former, however, often focuses on system-based factors exogenous to the service: administrative structures, oversight mechanisms, information-sharing bodies, and national legal frameworks. Generally absent from this debate is an isolated, systematic, evaluation of ideal characteristics endogenous to a domestic intelligence service. With a decade of reflection behind us, reframing the debate may help inform discussion on counterterrorism intelligence in America—so we may understand not only what we lack, but also what we should seek.
Through an evaluation of literature on intelligence in democratic nations, and application of this evaluation to the post-9/11 discourse, this thesis identifies and analyzes characteristics deemed “ideal” in a service. It then tests these ideals in foreign security services often touted as models for America, in order to determine in what manner these characteristics exist, if at all. The study concludes by exploring lessons from this analysis to further inform debate, suggesting that the ideal characteristics expected in a domestic intelligence service are not only difficult to achieve in the modern counterterrorism environment, a strict pursuit of them may produce counterproductive results.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.