Role of Intelligence Agencies in Keeping the World Safe - Coursework Example

 Role of Intelligence Agencies in Keeping the World Safe Role of FBI and CIA in US Intelligence Network The role of secret services in maintaining and managing world peace is critical to say the least because; these agencies are primarily responsible for gathering information and intelligence about terrorism activities. Yet, it is imperative to note that the business of intelligence is a filthy one, as the data and information collection strategies used by the secret services could hardly be considered as ethical or humane, in majority of the cases. Still, low ethical standards of the featured profession, is taken as a collateral damage in order to attain the higher purpose of national security. This research effort will be analyzing and evaluating roles of different departments and agencies that fundamentally constitute US intelligence network that is interactively learning and working in order to minimize both domestic and foreign national security threats. In the US, there are two main intelligence organizations that are working for the aim of preserving national security. The first one is of course Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the other one is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, the former agency is primarily responsible for managing and counteracting foreign threats, while it works with the help of maintaining close ties and networking with other special services organizations in the world. The latter organization is fundamentally committed towards fighting local and indigenous terrorism plots, which causes it to work with local and state police departments closely[Zeg]. Furthermore, important roles and responsibilities of secret security agencies will be discussed in upcoming sections. Types of Intelligence There are various types of intelligence that are gathered in order to fully or in most cases partially understand and counteract terrorism in the US and the world community. 1. HUMINT Intelligence: - This sort of intelligence is gathered with the help of human senses whereas; the technological intervention is kept minimized in the process of gathering this type of information[Cli02]. But, it is necessary to note that data gathered from this source is considered highly unreliable because, human memory is something that fades away very rapidly therefore, major chunk of the information is lost. This kind of data collection methodology is used where technology could be revealed readily that will in turn blow the cover of an agent. This technique is however, considered as a last resort or used during early stages of the investigation. 2. SIGNIT Intelligence: - This type of intelligence is used to communicate sensitive information among the ranks and people associated with secret services. The technique is not primarily used for gathering information but, it is rather a system of sharing the data[Cli02]. 3. IMINT Intelligence: - This type of investigative tool is used in order to fill the gaps in the information obtained. The above-mentioned objective is fulfilled via logically thinking through the scenario and judge the terrorists’ next intended course of action[Cli02]. The same technique is deployed to solve homicides by local police departments. Finally, quite a significant level of technology is used, as a mean of analyzing data such as surface and quantum computing. Interestingly, files like photos and videos are sometime used as a medium of communication. 4. OSNIT Intelligence: - This kind of information is gathered from open sources such as newspapers, articles and websites[Bes07]. The information that is gathered via this method is assimilated and analyzed to deduce new findings that may or may not be critical for national security. 5. MASINT Intelligence: - This kind of intelligence is gathered with the help of analyzing photos, videos and other multimedia content on the internet, whereas the primal focus of this technique remains on analyzing latest movies and music trend in order to know the specific direction of a nation’s intellectual journey[Dud05]. 6. GEOINT Intelligence: - This type of information is gathered to point out geographical locations that are deemed ideal for camouflaging weapons and other dangerous equipment. The data in this regard are kept updated, so that fresh and potential geographical targets can be identified as well. Patriot Act The Patriot Act has been designed to bless American law enforcement officials and special agents with greater autonomy in terms of tracking down suspicious people and potential terrorists. The act has been developed on the premises that privacy of few must be sacrificed in order to uphold national security. The Congress has sanctioned the act as a precautionary measure to prevent US from sustaining attacks like the ones that took place on September 2001[Doy02]. The act gives authority to agents and police officers to analyze and evaluate any electronic or conventional communications, so that they could flag doubtful communiqués. These intercepted communications can also be presented in the court of law as evidence. Moreover, they could also be used to obtain search and arrest warrants. The featured act is also developed to govern financial transactions in the country because, it is a well-noted fact that conducting terrorist activities needs a lot of funding therefore; US treasury department has been given the right to investigate financial transactions involving obscene amounts of money. Finally, the Patriot act allows the law enforcement agencies to take any citizen or foreigner under surveillance within the legal jurisdiction. But, the officials are supposed to omit identifications and markings of places, companies and innocent people from the public record[Doy02]. Yet, they are motivated to present all relevant and evidentiary material in front of the court. The act is fully implemented in America and under this law, law enforcers will not leave any stone un-turn to get rid of any national threat. 30 Terrorist Plots Foiled: Summarized According to McNeill, Carafano, & Zuckerman, (2010) total number of terrorist attacks that were counteracted successfully from September 2001 to December 2010, recorded to be thirty in number. Importantly, one attack failed due to the invincible effort of flight attendant, who with the help of the passengers managed to take control of a bomber with explosives in his footwear during 2001 while, another offense was proven to be ineffective because, people managed to identify a man carrying an explosive under his clothing, during Christmas celebrations of 2009. But, in the view of McNeill, Carafano, & Zuckerman, (2010), the mechanism that was formed with the help of the Patriot Act, managed to perform its purpose well enough, because it helped law enforcers to control twenty eight premeditated terrorism attacks, over the span of the past decade. Now the idea of a Global War against Terrorism is getting modified because, the new management, headed by Barack Obama, is interested in getting rid of the war that they probably cannot win, despite the political change, the idea of national security remained intact. The governmental funding to the CIA and FBI steadily continued. In the general view of the US public, they are sufficiently committed towards eliminating terrorism once and for all. US citizens are believed to be go-getters, so they have the potential and capability of fighting terrorism. Additionally, they are doing a wonderful job against fundamentalism by successfully implementing Patroit Act. However, the nation has to travel along with terrorism for a considerable time, before it could get rid of it entirely. Comparison between Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency: Suggestions for US Boyle, (2010) tells that any nation in the world, faces two kinds of threats, the first one is internal while the other type is external. But, the intersection term has also been found to exist, which for the sake of argument called semi-external. This is the condition in which, the foe motivates the citizens of the country towards turning against their own nation. In this way, a foreign war becomes domestic. Nations are known to take the route of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in order to control external and internal threats to national security respectively. But, apparently US focused falsely on seeking out the enemies on foreign soil because, it is evident from 9/11 attacks that foes of the country reside within its borders. In the light of this argument, it could be established that the country should attempt to minimize both domestic and foreign threats simultaneously. . It is important to bear in mind that foreign threats are significantly less traumatic than domestic ones because, when dangerous elements enter a country, they with the passage of time, gather sensitive information such as location and access points of critical buildings, roads, airports and public areas. Therefore, it becomes relatively simple to plan a mass destruction effectively. Finally, it is suggested that nations must make sure that they offer a peaceful environment to the citizens against all costs. Conclusively, countries should work hard to balance between the two approaches of countering terrorism while, they should not waste time in seeking the enemies outside because, if they could maintain an airtight immigration policy then they could enrich local life, which is the ultimate purpose of the state. Counterterrorism Strategies In the eyes of Frey & Luechinger, (2003) there are a number of strategies that could be used as a means of eliminating and getting rid of terrorism from the society. But, importantly terrorism is a mindset, which cannot be abolished by killing the terrorists. This solution of killing terrorists, is more like an approach of burning the house to kill a mouse. The above mentioned scholars have put together a list of anti-terrorism strategies that is as follows 1. Use of Force: - This strategy is very commonly used and based on the idea of consistently killing the terrorists, before every terrorist on the Earth dies. This goal is unrealistic and self-elusive at best because, majority of the nations is trying to get rid of terrorism by killing the terrorists, but they are unable to do so. The problem lies in curing method, it is very simple that violence cannot be controlled with the help of violence, rather it should be controlled with the help of peace-making. 2. Make Terrorism Sour :- Nations that are fighting a war against terrorism, are suggested to grow economically. The economic growth will cause quality of life to increase, which will stop people from doing suicide attacks because, they will have higher life satisfaction, therefore they will never ever throw their soul away. However, the best way to shut down an organization, is to prevent people from joining it and economic growth could do so with terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, Humas and others like them because, it will give people something to live for, then the happy life will also cause humans to enjoy peace, whereas the concept of violence will become faded. 3. Major Witness Programs : - It is also necessary for the nations to reinstate terrorists into the society and this could only be done through efficient and effective witness protection programs. These programs should be designed in order to induce terrorists towards spending normal life after serving their sentences. Psychotherapy would also be helpful in this regard. Human Factor in Intelligence Terrorism is a practice that is conducted by humans, therefore, it would be best to deploy humans to fight it because, machines and computers do not have an urge of survival whereas, they do not have intuition and gut feeling. Fundamentally, technology is designed to help humans in making a complex decision, therefore, it is safe to say that humans are primarily responsible for taking the decisions and computers are there to merely assist. If humans will be removed from intelligence, then it will take away the soul of secret services, because humans are the best defenders of their fellow beings whereas, if machines are given the responsibility of running intelligence agencies then the terrorists will have to break into the coding and will have all the control. In the light of above paragraph, it is highly recommended to keep intelligence services as human as possible whereas, infrastructure’s role should be secondary in strategic and unstructured problem solving. Finally, US government is recommended to take concrete measures towards eliminating terrorism, which is the name of violent mindset that can only be abolished through peace. In the light of this argument, it would be best for nations at war with terrorism to promote peace via spreading harmony, education and economic growth in the world because, it is an empty belly that causes a man to shoulder a weapon. References Zeg: , (Zegart), Cli02: , (Cline, 2002), Bes07: , (Best & Cumming, 2007), Dud05: , (Dudczyk, Wnuk, & Matuszewski, 2005), Doy02: , (Doyle, 2002), Read More