Six Principle Processes of the Intelligence Cycle

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The intelligence cycle was developed in order for analysts to grasp fundamental practices of producing an intelligence product . These practices are illustrated as generally five processes, which have been represented in various rotational models. The following paper will introduce a sixth step titled policy and state safety requirements and analyse these six iterative processes correspondingly as, policy and state safety requirements, planning and direction, collection, process and exploitation, analysis and dissemination. This paper will be limited to examining these relationships and observing strengths and weaknesses within these activities, only as they may occur within an intelligence community. Upon examining these relationships, the writer will argue that the key to establishing strengths in efficiency and relevance by using the intelligence cycle, is crucial on interpreting the model as a theoretical guideline from which intelligence systems may build or mirror , as opposed to a realistic step by step process to developing an intelligence product. Theoretical suggestions supporting this argument will form part of the conclusion of this paper.

Six Principle Processes of the Intelligence cycle

Before examining the six processes of the intelligence cycle as they may work within an intelligence community as illustrated above, it is necessary to first understand what their respective functions are meant to carry out. The compartmentalization of the six areas may suggest each process is specialised, may use different methods to reach their goals, or may need varying levels of security clearances . To decipher a starting point within the intelligence cycle, it has been argued that the sole purpose for initiating and m...

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..., also the assessment, checking and processing of intelligence information, submitting it in proposals as appropriate to higher authority...in accordance with decision directives of leading organisers’, Mitrokhin, V. ‘KGB Lexicon: the soviet intelligence officer’s handbook’, Publication, 2002, Great Britain, pp 46.

‘There is widespread agreement to the doctrinal definition of the intelligence cycle’, Grey, D. and Slade, C. ‘Applying the intelligence cycle model to counter terrorism intelligence for homeland security’, European Journal of Scientific Research, Volume 24, No. 4, 2008, pp 2.

Hulnick, A. ‘What’s wrong with the intelligence cycle’, Intelligence and National Security Journal, Routledge Publications, Volume 21, Issue 6, dated 1 December, 2006, pp 961.

Intelligence is the sum of all products and services together within the intelligence cycle model.

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