Why do government resort to intelligence?

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Role of Intelligence

Running the state affairs is a complex process and governments employ all possible resources for good governance . Governments are faced with multifarious challenges ranging from internal and external security threats to the welfare of citizens . It involves elaborate coordination at all tiers of governmental hierarchy . Besides professional advisors in various fields , the most potent resource a government possesses is its intelligence community . Intelligence is a vast field and its primary role in any country is to forewarn

governments of the impending threats and provide viable solutions in efficiently tackling the same

Traditional intelligence efforts merely comprised of human resources With the advent of technology , its scope has gone much beyond a layman 's imagination . One of the broader implication of the field of intelligence is that it is knowledge , organization , and activity all focused on safeguarding the national interests (Powers 381 . It is in fact a foreknowledge which provides useful information to the head of the state or a military commander for devising strategies in pursuance of own objectives

This has been designed to analyze the role of intelligence agencies in the prevalent environment and evaluate the major tasks for which the intelligence effort is usually employed by the governments The will focus on various functions of intelligence agencies related to strategic and tactical intelligence , espionage and data collection , deception , counter intelligence and counter espionage , and domestic surveillance

Role of Intelligence Agencies

Prior to 9 /11 , intelligence agencies generally remained involved in routine activities as per their mandate and their reports were not even granted much attention . To some extents , governments employed intelligence resources for countering external threats . Agencies involved in tackling internal threats , relied on individual efforts and an atmosphere of professional envy existed between different agencies The 9 /11 commission report clearly highlighted the failure of intelligence in perceiving the impending threat and highlighted lack of coordination as a major sour point . The government was thus forced to carryout reorganization and reorientation of intelligence efforts . In furthering the objectives set forth by the government , the Office of Director of National Intelligence 's issued a National Intelligence Strategy of the United States of America which is established on the principle of `transformation through integration and innovation Moreover , the strategy states that U .S . intelligence elements must focus their capabilities to ensure that (1 ) Intelligence elements in the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are properly resourced and closely integrated within the larger Intelligence Community (2 ) all Intelligence Community components assist in facilitating the integration of collection and analysis against terrorists , weapons of mass destruction , and other threats to the homeland , and (3 ) state , local and tribal entities and the private sector are connected to our homeland security and intelligence efforts (ODNI-1 11

In developed countries having strong institutions , it is not possible for the government to employ intelligence resources for political or vested interests . Analysis of the functions of the Office of Director of National Intelligence...