Counterterrorism and Intelligence Framework
Introduction
Counterterrorism engages the tactics, practices, strategies and techniques that militaries, governments, corporations and departments of police adopt in dealing with the threats and acts of terrorist activities, considering that terrorism can be imputed and at the same time real (Best, 2012). Findings indicated that the tactic of terrorism is a common phenomenon among the governments and the insurgents. It can be argued that terrorism is part of insurgency while counterterrorism is part of counterinsurgency doctrine. FID (Foreign Internal Defense) refers to programs that are in place in suppressing or reducing the possibilities of insurgency, it can then be argued that counterterrorism detects acts that are potential and at the same time respond to the terrorism related events through intelligence from diverse agencies (Geltzer, 2009). Counterterrorism highly depends on Human Intelligence (humint). This paper reflects on Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which is under the United States Department of Justice, National Security Agency (NSA) under United States Department of Defense and Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI) which is under United States Department of Homeland Security.
Main Body
IC (United States Intelligence Community)
International and domestic terrorism has been an issue in United States, it has been noted that the United States Intelligence Community has been developing mechanisms of dealing with terrorism through the department of Homeland security (Richelson, 2011). There are diverse terrorism groups that threaten the security of the United States; Al Qaeda is one such terrorism group that has caused havoc in the United States and in the world in general. Analytical expertise that is intensive has been concerned in knowing the members, plans and locations of the terrorism groups in the United States and also in the world (Best, 2012).
Intelligence agencies are working in cohort in eliminating the dangers of terrorism in the United States. Reflecting on assertions made by the DCI (Director of Central Intelligence) in 2001, Mr. Tenet argued in public that terrorism is immediate, real and evolving in the United States and in the world in general; As at that time, it was argued that Osama Bin Ladin and his associates and lieutenants in the world were the most serious and immediate threat (Geltzer, 2009). Findings indicated that American people were astonished by the Intelligence Community not having a wind on the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks, and that IC was not prepared for any forms of attacks of huge magnitude, this is an indication that the intelligence community in the United States by then was disorganized and not equipped to handle large magnitudes of terrorism activities.
Agencies are used in gathering relevant information and at the same time converting the actions of terrorism in the united states, it is argued that humint is not an expensive discipline in intelligence, although one of the most doubtful and difficult practice among the practitioners (Johnson & Wirtz, 2010). Mistakes can embarrass the nation, hence vey fatal basing on the policy goals of a government. Congress relies on humint in making major decisions depending on the extent of the risks involved.
Counterterrorism requires teamwork among the intelligence agencies and the law enforcement authorities. It is argued that some terrorists are subjected to military forces, others to the courts of law while others are dealt with through converting actions (Best, 2012). It is highly believed that poor exchanges of information among the responsible organizations, law enforcement groups and the intelligence agencies could have contributed to the high levels of terrorism in the United States (Lowenthal, 2011).
IC (United States Intelligence Community) is made of sixteen government agencies working together and separately in conducting activities related to intelligence, with the main intention of national security and foreign relations as pertaining to United States. Member organizations of IC include the military intelligence, intelligence agencies, federal executive departments dealing with analysis offices and civilian intelligence. Findings indicated that IC is managed and led by the DNI (Director of National Intelligence), who is then under the subject of the United States president (Johnson & Wirtz, 2010).
It is expected that the foreign agencies work together in producing domestic intelligence as well as foreign intelligence that contributes to issues of military planning and at the same time performing real time espionage. It is estimated that there are diverse private companies, government organizations and different locations in America working in cohort in offering intelligence, counterterrorism, and intelligence community and homeland security with different people holding secret positions all around the nation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
FBI is a governmental agency under the United States Department of Justice serving counterintelligence (internal intelligence agency) and federal criminal investigative body. FBI investigates crimes in the United States particularly on the Native American reservations, which is controlled by the Major Crimes Act (Lowenthal, 2011). Findings indicated that FBI mans specific jurisdiction in more than two hundred violations of the federal crime.
FBI was initiated in 1908 in the name of BOI (Bureau of investigation), with the name changing in the 1935; headquarter is based in Washington D.C., with fifty six field offices in United States’ major cities. The agency has more than four hundred resident agencies across the nation. FBI has international offices numbering to fifty mainly referred to as the legal attaches. The main goals of the FBI is to defend and protect the United States, with the intention of enforcing and upholding the criminal laws, with the intention of criminal justice services and providing leadership to the municipal, federal, international, state agencies and to the partners (Geltzer, 2009).
The top list of FBI’s priorities are pegged in dealing with counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cyber warfare, dealing with public corruption, protect the civil rights, dealing with organized crimes, combating white collar crimes and combating violent crimes. The organization of the FBI is branched into five major departments and also the office of the Director. FBI’s five function branches identify with FBI Human Resource Branch, FBI National Security Branch, FBI science and Technology Branch, FBI criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch and the FBI Information Technology Branch. Current FBI specialties identify with Technically Trained Agents, Bomb Technicians, Polygraphers and Pilots.
National Security Agency (NSA)
NSA is the manager and central producer of the signals intelligence, reflecting on budget and personnel, it is one of the largest intelligence organizations. NSA works under Department of Defense and reporting directly to the Director of National Intelligence. The primary role of NSA is on the global collection, monitoring, translation, decoding and analysis of crucial information as pertaining to the counterintelligence and foreign intelligence purposes. The mission of NSA is carried out by exercising clandestine means, which allows the organization to have powers in sabotaging and bugging electronic systems and software. The government information and communications systems are also protected by the NSA in the United States (Best, 2012).
Surveys indicated that NSA lacks humint although strongly connected to other intelligence agencies. NSA coordinates non SIGINT and SIGINT government organizations, with the approval of NSA. Central Security Service facilitates working together of the United States military cryptanalysis and the NSA components. The director of NSA also serves as the Central Security Service chief and US Cyber Command commander.
Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI)
CGI is part of the military intelligence, specializing in maritime service as part of the armed forces of the United States. It has been noted that the main responsibilities of the CGI identify with protecting the environment, public, security interests and the economy of the United States as per the maritime regions. CGI operates in the international waters, ports, coasts of the United States and on the inland waterways. CGI has strong teams in humanitarian purposes, military purposes, and in the enforcement of the civilian laws. Missions of the Coast Guard are implemented basing on the output of the CGI.
CGI in the World War II was influential in the domestic and internal counterintelligences and intelligence, modernization has improved the services offered by the CGI to an extent that the current agency has diversified roles and responsibilities. Modernization has presented diverse challenges, which has prompted the agency to partner and cement working relationships with other likeminded organizations in the United States (Johnson & Wirtz, 2010). Responsibilities of the CGI are pegged on maritime security, port security, rescue and search operations, alien migration interdiction, counter narcotics and protection of the living marine. FIST (Field Intelligence Support Teams) are influential in the operations of CGI, mainly in the operations of waterways, ports and the security of the coasts along the United States against the homeland security threats (Geltzer, 2009).
Collaboration of FBI, NSA and CGI
Findings indicated that FBI, NSA and CGI collaborate in a number of ways in dealing with counterterrorism. It has been noted that dealing with counterterrorism calls for a combination of different skills in dealing with the threat comprehensively. United States through the agencies has been kept informed on the intentions and capabilities of the terrorist groups both locally and also internationally. United States has kept an open eye on the developments of geopolitical issues and other transitional issues like the smuggling of narcotics.
IC face a number of challenges in dealing with counterterrorism, some of the common challenges identify with emphasis on the renewal of human agents. Imagery satellites and signals intelligence are useful in counterterrorism, although more of the humint is needed in the processes, such as with the informers and the spies. It means that human intelligence will engage in complicated and risky assignments in the search of valuable information. Patient and time will prepare the analysts into diversity of languages and skills.
United States faces challenges with the analytical issues, it has been noted that intelligence agents must work together in developing outright expertise, an indication that even the ignored data and information will be revisited (Best, 2012). The third consideration is on the relationships between the law enforcement agencies and the intelligence, in the sense that the different bodies have different models of collecting information in ways that the information offers diversity in gathering evidence, in setting models of developing leads and in maintaining and facilitating databases that are retrievable.
The government of the United States has developed statutes and policies that bring closer FBI, NSA and CGI although with minimized conflicts of interest are encouraged. It is expected that by FBI, NSA and CGI are working together, the agencies has high capabilities of leading to precise intelligence as required by the military commanders. It is expected that working together fosters real time communications systems that are secure (Geltzer, 2009). FBI, NSA and CGI has encouraged collection platforms that are characterized with reconnaissance satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles and reconnaissance satellites as part of addressing the challenges brought into place by the counterterrorist operations (Richelson, 2011).
Recommendations
The congress has the mandates of deciding the budgetary resources in making sure that the efforts of the intelligence community are attained, with minimized funding, it means that the operations of the agencies will be compromised. Executive branch officials are expected to work together with the congress in ensuring that enough funding is in place. Observers argue that the congress has responsibility of developing a clear and strong statutory framework that influences the evolution in the intelligence. It is believed that such intelligence is critical in reducing chances of failure as United States is committed in protecting its citizens (Johnson & Wirtz, 2010). Aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York in 2001 was a wakeup call on the inefficiencies of the intelligence agencies in the United States, after the attacks, it was noted that the government of the United States increased funding to the agencies and also expanded authorities to cover up diverse areas and jurisdictions.
It is important for the United States to reorganize the intelligence community in meeting the modernization that is influenced by the socialization and globalization. The congressional committee has been committed in strengthening the management and operations of the intelligence activities. There is a need for a conclusive humint in dealing with counterterrorism (Lowenthal, 2011). Congress should strengthen humint through extensive research and design.
Open societies in the United States are at risk of being attacked by the terrorist groups, particularly to the suicide bombers. Some congress members suggests development of ‘war rooms’ in the society that comprises of a number of analyst in gathering and analyzing information that would lead to crucial ends as per the interests of the United States, although the practice is extremely rare and unpredictable. Spending more money and people in the security scans do not guarantee success (Best, 2012). Agencies should engage outside consultants when threats of terrorism are imminent, reserve corps are examples of outside consultants.
It is argued that law enforcement on IC has deep implications in dealing with counterterrorism. United States has maintained shared relations with other governments with different interests as per the legal systems that are in place, an indication that homeland security must connect all the agencies in working as a team. Intelligence collection and law enforcement poses different faces of complex issues as the policymakers struggle in counterterrorism. Observers believe that policies and statues bring together law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies in United States as the nation deal with counterterrorism (Lowenthal, 2011).
Conclusion
Terrorism challenges intelligence in the modern world, basing on the fact that the government must be aware on the ideological, social and political environment that encourages terrorism. Such details do not come easily, but with the engagement of agencies, a government is able to collect relevant information useful in dealing with counterterrorism. Such information deals with ethnic, geographic, economic, religious, and political situations both locally and in the international arena. Intelligence community engages in diverse models of gathering relevant secret information useful in dealing with counterterrorism (Geltzer, 2009).
References
Best, R. (2012). Intelligence to Counterterrorism: Issues of Congress. Congressional Research Service (CRS) – The Libary of Congress , 3-41.
Geltzer, J. A. (2009). US Counter-Terrorism Strategy and al-Qaeda: Signalling and the Terrorist World-View. London: Routledge.
Johnson, L. & Wirtz, J. (2010). Intelligence: The Secret World of Spies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lowenthal, M. M. (2011). Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy. Washington, DC: CQ Press College.
Richelson, J. T. (2011). The US Intelligence Community. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
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