National Intelligence University

Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence

MCR 611_G, Intelligence and National Security Policy

Fall 2017 (Fridays, 1050-1330 EDT, 1 September - 3 November)

Mr. Tim Christenson (3E-300C; 310-243-2302; timothy.christenson2@)dodiis.mil)

Course Description

Emerging trends manifested in the threats and opportunities of globalization have altered
collective national interests and national security policy formulation. Our country’s success in
meeting the ever increasing asymmetric and transnational challenges will depend on effective
transformation, reorientation, and coordination of the National Intelligence Community to
support the requirements of national security policy. This course examines national security
policy formulation, the factors that influence and constrain policy choices, and the role of
intelligence in this process. Changing intelligence relationships with policymakers will continue
to serve as benchmarks for national security engagement. Students will analyze and evaluate the
future political, cultural, and institutional challenges facing the National Intelligence Community
as it supports national security policy.

Contribution to Mission

The Intelligence Community (IC) must function inside a complex national security policymaking
process, while simultaneously reforming traditional paradigms in order to meet the challenges of
today’s global threats. The charge by the President, the Congress and the American people to the
IC is clear: Under the leadership of the DNI, “our vast intelligence enterprise will become more
unified, coordinated and effective.” The work of intelligence must serve to avoid strategic
surprise, duplication of effort, and attacks with mass effects resulting in mass casualties on the
U.S. homeland or U.S. interests abroad. This course will contribute to students’ understanding of
what “strategic intelligence” involves—how the executive branch coordinates intelligence policy
in the context of national security strategy, and how the Congress practices its constitutional
oversight responsibilities with IC.

Learning Outcomes

This course deals with national security policy formulation, the factors that influence and
constrain policy choices, and the role of intelligence in this process.

 Understand the national security policy process, including the roles, structures, and
functions of the National Security Council (NSC), the interagency, and IC. Analyze how
the NSC, the interagency, and the IC interact with and influence the respective national
security, national defense, and national intelligence strategies.
 Evaluate the factors that influence and constrain policy choices, including Congress, legal
requirements, and resources.

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  Understand and evaluate the role of the intelligence enterprise and responsibilities of the
DNI, as well as analyze current and future challenges.

 Analyze the political, cultural, legal, and institutional variables affecting the IC as it
supports national security and homeland security policy.

Course Requirements

Students are responsible for reading assigned material before class meetings to facilitate
classroom discussion. Readings are assigned from various textbooks, selected handouts, the
Internet, and Intelink. Graded assignments include one-page summary reports, a take-home
midterm essay exam, a six- to eight-page research paper, and an oral presentation based on your
research paper.

Grading:

Summary Reports 30% (due Class 10)

Midterm Essay Exam 30% (due Class 6)
Research Paper 30% (due Class 10)
Oral Presentation 10% (due Class 8, 9, or 10)

Summary Reports (30 pts): Students will turn in double-spaced, one-page Reports (one-inch
margins, 12-point font) on non-assigned materials related to class topics. Each Report is worth
up to 5 points; students may submit as many Reports as necessary to earn 30 points. Each
Report should have an introductory paragraph that outlines the key points to be covered, a body
that develops each key point in a separate paragraph, and a summary paragraph that re-caps the
key points, as well as a bibliography and a footnote citation. Examples will be distributed during
Class One. Summaries may be submitted throughout the quarter, but are due by 3 November.

Mid-term Essay Exam (30 pts): Students will pick three essay questions from a list of choices
and write a two-page essay for each one (double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12-point font).
Essays are graded on organization, argumentation, and writing. Questions will be distributed in
class on 29 September (Class Five), and the exams are due in class on 6 October (Class Six).

Oral Presentation (10 pts): Students will give a three- to five-minute oral presentation about
their Research Paper. Presentation should cover the principal points of the paper in a logical
manner. Presentations must include PowerPoint slides or some other visual medium to
emphasize key points. The presentation should be delivered without notes while standing in
front of the class. Students will be graded on the organization and delivery of their presentation,
as well as the quality of the visual(s) employed. See Class Ten for additional information.

Research Paper (30 pts): The six- to eight-page research paper (double-spaced, one-inch
margins, 12-point font) requires students to consider a particular area of national security policy
in greater depth. Papers should begin with an introduction that explains the topic and outlines
key points. Each of these points should then be developed in a well-organized fashion using

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A- and B-level heading formats, examples of which will be distributed in class. The paper
should conclude with a summary that re-caps these key points. Sources used should be
academically appropriate and properly cited in footnotes and bibliography. Papers are graded on
organization, argumentation, research, and writing. Papers are due on 3 November (Class Ten).

Course Materials

 Roger Z. George and Harvey Rishikof. The National Security Enterprise: Navigating
the Labyrinth. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2011.
 Mark M. Lowenthal. Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy, 6th ed. Los Angeles: Sage,
2015.
 Kate Turabian. A Manual for Writers, 8th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
2013.

Additional Reference Sources:

 The Constitution of the United States of America

 The USA Patriot Act of 2001
 The WMD Commission Report. The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities
of the United States Regarding WMD
 The 9/11 Commission Report. Final Report of the National Commission on
Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, New York: WW Norton, 2004
 The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States, October 2009
 The National Security Strategy of the United States of America 2010
 The National Strategy for Homeland Security 2007
 U. S Intelligence Community 500 day Plan for Integration and Collaboration
 The National Security Act of 1947 (as amended)
 The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA)
 DNI Vision 2015
 Global Trends 2025

Other classified and unclassified readings and handouts. Many of the documents above are
posted on Bb under the Reference tab; other readings are in the 611_G course e-Reserves or
Course Documents.

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 Overview of Classes

Class ONE, 1 September: Overview of the National Security Policy Process. Begin with
course introduction/ administration, syllabus review, and class presentation assignments.
Discuss the overall national security policy concept, its setting, implications of enduring and new
themes and issues, as well as the factors driving change; the determination of national interests,
objectives, and policies, as well as the tools of national power. Evaluate how "value-laden"
concepts such as legality, justice, ethics, morality, fairness, and truth influence the intelligence
process and American political culture. Assess how fundamental shared values and the image
others have of America influence national policy.

Assigned
White House, “PDD-25, Reforming Multilateral Peace Operations” (press release, Washington,
DC, 5 May 1994), accessed 24 July 2015, http://fas.org/irp/offdocs/pdd25.htm.
George and Rishikof, chs. 1-3

Additional
Lowenthal, Intelligence, chs. 1-2
National Security Strategy of the United States of America, February 2015, chs. I and II
National Intelligence Strategy of the United States of America, 2014, pp. 1-10
National Defense Strategy, 2008, pp. 1-5
611 Overview.ppt
IC_Structure_ODNI.ppt

Topics
National security policy and how it is developed
Criteria defining U.S. national interests
Realism
Idealism
Objectives of the National Security Strategy of the U.S.
Traditional approaches to national security; role of factors such as “value-laden” concepts
(legality, culture, justice, ethics, morality, truth) in the intelligence process
Changing international global and domestic environment, and its impact on U.S. national
security policymaking
IC role in the policy process
Factors that influence the relationship of IC and policymakers

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Class TWO, 8 September: Evolution and Composition of the IC. Evaluate the impact of
themes, issues, and cases that have driven the evolution of intelligence organization and resource
management; the organizational architecture, the bureaucracy, management, and human factors
—to include such issues as politicization of analysis, groupthink, cognitive bias, and mirror
imaging.

Assigned: George and Rishikof, chs. 4-6

Additional
Lowenthal, chs. 2-4
Intelligence and Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Title 1
“An Overview of the U.S. Intelligence Community,” http://www.odni.gov/overview.pdf
Mike McConnell, “Overhauling Intelligence,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007,
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/author/mike-mcconnell/index.html
Thomas E. Ricks, The Generals (New York: Penguin, 2012), 27-31 re Kent-Kendall. Bb
Evolution of IC.ppt

Topics
Today’s IC—the road traveled
Intelligence prior to WW II
Intelligence in WW II
National Security Act of 1947
Iranian Coup 1953, Missile Gap 1959, Bay of Pigs 1961, Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Vietnam War, ABM/SALT Treaties, Intelligence investigations 1975-76, Iran-Contra 1986-87,
Fall of USSR 1991, Ames spy case 1994
9/11, WMD, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom
IC Today
DNI legal authorities, IC strengths and weaknesses, IC characteristics and structure
Obstacles to centralization and creating a unified enterprise
The notion of a community, impact of technology on IC
DNI: Control or Coordinate IC?
Distance or proximity to policymakers: The Kent-Kendall debate
Redundant analysis or competitive analysis? Collection?
Open source vs. clandestine collection
Technology vs HUMINT collection
Presenting consensus or differences to policy makers
A Goldwater-Nichols for the IC?
IC organizations that reflect individual culture, historical experience, and management design
Changing work force, mindset bias, intelligence politicization, tunnel vision
Mirror imaging, group think, crying wolf

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Class THREE, 15 September: Role of the President, National Security Council, and the
Intelligence Community in the National Security Policy Process (TC in STL). Evaluate the
roles of the President and National Security Council in the national security policy process.
Discuss the relationship of intelligence professionals to policymakers, as well as its effect on the
policy process; the bases and constraints on presidential power, as well as the effect of
presidential style and character; and the role and influence of the national security adviser.
Understand the realities of drawing policymakers’ time and attention to intelligence priorities,
problems, and concerns. Analyze human and bureaucratic factors that impinge on policymaking
while evaluating the IC’s role in this process.

Assigned
George and Rishikof, The National Security Enterprise, chs. 7-8

Additional
Lowenthal, ch. 9
Ivo H. Daalder and I. M. Destler, “In the Shadow of the Oval Office,” Foreign Affairs 88, no. 1
(January/February 2009).
Presidential Policy Directive-1, Organization of the NSC System, 13 February 2009
“Intelligence and Policy: The Evolving Relationship,” Center for the Study of Intelligence,
Roundtable Report, June 2004 (unclassified, CIA website)
“Intelligence and Policy, Policymaker Perspectives: The Clinton Years, 1993-2001,” Center for
the Study of Intelligence, 2006 (classified, available on CIA website)
“National Security Council: An Organizational Assessment,” CRS Report, 9 September 2010
IC-Policy_Relationship.ppt
NIPF.ppt

Topics
Factors influencing the Intelligence-Policy relationship
President’s sources of power, restrictions on power
Models of Presidential decision making
- formal
- competitive
- collegial
Role of the National Security Advisor and the NSC staff
- visionary
- policy development
- policy coordination
Role of the DNI
- architect
- implementer
- administrator
- coordinator
Problem of politicization
Role of intelligence in the policy process
Speaking truth to power: problems of perspective, ideology, pre-formed judgments

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Why policy makers resent intelligence and intelligence resents policy makers
Class FOUR, 22 September: IC Resources w/ guest CDR Jerry Sherrill, USN (Ret.) Discuss
the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of the National Intelligence Program (NIP)
and the Military Intelligence Program (MIP); the legislative activities of budget resolution,
authorization, and appropriation; and the role of the principal players in the process in both the
Executive and the Legislative branches. In the post-9/11 world with intelligence budgets nearly
doubling, examine how the IC budgets, the consequences of failure to budget, the implications of
rapid personnel growth—including generational change—after steady cuts, and the explosive
growth in cost and value for technical collection systems.

Assigned
George and Rishikof, ch. 3
Dan Elkins, “Ch. 4: Intelligence Funding Programs,” in Managing Intelligence Resources
(Alexandria, VA: DWE Press, 2004), 4-1 to 4-24. Bb

Additional
Lowenthal, chs. 3, 10
NIP Budget.ppt
MIP Budget.ppt

Topics
Changing global environment and the impact of financial and human resource management
Changing role of the DNI authorities and management of intelligence process
Purpose, structure, and role of the national Intelligence Program (NIP) and the Military
Intelligence Program (MIP)
Role of the Legislative Branch in intelligence budget authorization, appropriation, and oversight
Changing budget requirements in the GWOT

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Class FIVE, 29 September: Secrecy in an Open Society—Role of Oversight (midterm essay
exam distributed). Few issues are more central to democracy and the rule of law than
intelligence oversight. On the one hand, how does a democracy maintain a strong, robust
intelligence community, one whose missions must often be conducted in the greatest secrecy?
On the other hand, how do democratic institutions ensure that such secret organizations do not
become a threat to the very open society they seek to support and which provide their rationale?
Oversight is a critical element in the regulation of this tension. Each branch of government
performs essential oversight roles. While Congress has formal oversight committees, the
Executive Branch has a range of activities running the gamut from the President’s Intelligence
Advisory Board (PIAB) to the statutory and administrative inspectors general of each
intelligence organization. The federal judiciary has very specific oversight under the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), but the court system is also involved through the changing
interpretations of intelligence and related legislation, as well as reviews of Executive power. The
press, as well as a number of public-interest groups, remains an integral part of oversight in any
democracy.

Assigned
George and Rishikof, The National Security Enterprise, chs. 11-12, 15

Additional
Lowenthal, ch. 10
CRS Report for Congress: Congressional Oversight of Intelligence: Current Structure and
Alternatives, 29 March 2010
George and Rishikof, The National Security Enterprise, chs. 13-14
Radsan, “One Lantern in the Darkest Night: The CIA’s Inspector General”
Oversight.ppt

Topics
Actions that bring on intelligence oversight
Principles and types of intelligence oversight
Congressional oversight
Institutionalized period (1947-1970s)
Investigative period (1970s to present)
Judicial oversight
Executive oversight
Influence of American political culture on intelligence oversight
Future of intelligence oversight

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Class SIX, 6 October: Covert and Sensitive Operations (midterm essay exam due).
Throughout the Cold War, sensitive operations (including covert action) were often an important
tool to advance broader national security and foreign policy objectives. Running the gamut from
simple propaganda and agent of influence operations to large scale paramilitary programs,
sensitive operations remain a critical component of national security priorities. Increasingly,
however, the lines between covert action and other programs have become blurred, raising
questions about management responsibilities as well as the integration of covert action into
broader policy. The debate on the ever shifting division of labor between paramilitary covert
action and defense special operations will be analyzed. Sensitive operations have also often been
one of most controversial aspects of American national security and foreign policy. Discuss its
evolution and the rules for successful sensitive operations and the gains and risks they present to
other national interests.

Assigned
Tenet, chs. 16, 17
Lowenthal, ch. 8
“The CIA in Afghanistan 2001-2002,” CIA Studies in Intelligence 47, no. 2
(2003), classified reading, available on CIA website
Greg Miller and Julie Tate, “CIA shifts focus to killing targets,” Washington Post, 1 September
30 August 2011, accessed 24 July 2015, http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/
national-security/cia-shifts-focus-to-killing-targets/2011/08/30/
gIQA7MZGvJ_story.html. Also available on Bb.

Additional
Covert_Action.ppt
“Covert Action” video

Topics
Covert action defined
Authority
Types
History: successes and failures
Levels of risk: intelligence operations, diplomacy, relations
Executive and legislative review and policy questions
Considerations prior to approval
Issues with CIA’s role in covert action
Relationship with military special operations

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Class SEVEN, 13 October: Intelligence in Homeland Security and Homeland Defense. The
challenge of integrating domestic and foreign intelligence for national and homeland
security/defense policy are significant. Evaluate how best to organize intelligence—including at
the state and local level—to secure the homeland. Review the cross-cultural challenges between
law enforcement and intelligence, as well as changing domestic prerogatives that can hamper
collaboration between law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Assigned
George and Rishikof, chs. 9-10
National Strategy for Homeland Security, 2007 (pp. 1-7, 49-51)
“Homeland Security Intelligence,” CRS Report, 14 January 2009
James Clapper, “State of Domestic Intel Reform” (remarks at Bipartisan Policy Center,
Washington, DC, 6 October 2010).
Malcolm Gladwell, “Connecting the Dots,” in What the Dog Saw (New York: Little Brown,
2009), 244-262. Bb

Additional
Improving the Law Enforcement-Intelligence Community Relationship (Washington: NDIC
Press, 2007): 143-179, http://www.ndic.edu/press/5463.htm
Amy Zegart, “Real Men Don’t Type: Adaptation Failure in the FBI,” in Spying
Blind, 2007.
Counter-Intelligence.ppt

Topics
Feasibility of separation of foreign intelligence and law enforcement in age of terrorism
Difference between intelligence and law enforcement cultures and impact on collaboration
Extent to which PATRIOT Act has lowered the “wall” between foreign intelligence and
domestic law enforcement
Examine DHS as a producer and consumer of intelligence and its relationship to the rest of the
IC, state, and local law enforcement
Challenges of including state and local law enforcement agencies into intelligence loop
Types of substantive and tradecraft retooling homeland security requires of IC and state and local
enforcement personnel
9/11 and WMD commission recommendations regarding FBI and its relationship to the DNI

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Class EIGHT, 20 October: Case Studies in Intelligence and National Security Policy.
Examine the role and influence of both IC and policy officials in the debate about Iraq’s WMD
program and the subsequent decision to invade Iraq. Dissect the root causes and other factors
and attempt to get at the “truth” of this “game-changing” episode in the intelligence and national
security policy communities.

Assigned
DoD IG, “Review of the Pre-Iraqi War Activities of the OUSD(P),” 9 February 2007, i-iii,
accessed 24 July 2015, https://fas.org/irp/agency/dod/ig020907-decl.pdf.
“Report of the Select Committee on Intelligence on the use by the IC of information provided by
the INC,” 8 September 2006, 113-122.
Tenet, chs. 10, 16, 17

Additional
Lowenthal, ch. 14
Downing Street Memo
Paul R. Pillar, “Intelligence, Policy, and the War in Iraq,” Foreign Affairs, March/April 2006.
911_WMD_case_studies.ppt
“The Dark Side” video

Topics
Root causes of failure
Events that influence intelligence and the policy process
Politicization defined; bureaucratic politics; institutional loyalties
Politics of collection, analysis, and production
Searching for consensus; politics of the footnote and shaping public opinion
Dissemination
Estimative intelligence to form policy or to justify policy

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Class NINE, 27 October: Transforming the IC and National Security Policy Process—
Future Challenges (TC @ STL for oral presentations. Evaluate and debate the most
significant changes (and recommended changes) to the IC and national security apparatus since
1947. Create a plan to achieve the DNI’s goals of a globally networked and integrated
intelligence enterprise. Discuss how the IC should engage on new issues—technology, cyber
warfare, information sharing and counter-intelligence threats—in the context of a changing,
more integrated and globalized world. Forecast some of the challenges of tomorrow.

Assigned
Lowenthal, ch. 14
George and Rishikof, ch. 16
“Organizing the U.S. Government for National Security: Overview of the Interagency Reform
Debates,” CRS Report, 16 Dec20 08
Robert Cardillo, “The Challenge and Promise of Intelligence Integration,” Studies in Intelligence
56, no. 2 (June 2012): 1-6. Classified reading, available on CIA website

Additional
Lundberg, “Credible Warnings or False Alarms? What the U.S. knew on September 10, 2001,”
DNI Vision 2015 & Global Trends 2025
911_WMD_case_studies.ppt
IC Reform.ppt
500 Day Plan.ppt

Topics
9/11 Commission recommendations: What worked, what didn’t, and why?
IRTPA and WMD Commission recommendations: What areas require additional reform?
DNI’s 500-day plan: Objectives and obstacles
Create a culture of collaboration
Foster collection and analysis transformation
Build acquisition excellence and technology leadership
Modernize business practices
Accelerate information sharing
Clarify and align DNI’s authorities
Where do we want to go? mission, needs, vision
Where are we now? self evaluation
How do we get there? Strategy
External influences driving reform: globalization, regional instability, demographics, ecology,
weapons proliferation, crime and narcotics
Internal influences driving reform: demographics, technology, customer expectations, public
opinion
Challenges: turf, inertia, time, resources, countermeasures
What are the biggest challenges facing the IC in the next 10 year?

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Class TEN, 3 November: Oral Presentations (research paper due, oral presentations @
ICC-B)

Student will give a 3-5 minute oral presentation on an aspect of national security policy—usually
based on their term paper. Presentations should cover the principal points of the paper in a logi-
cal manner. Give the presentation standing in front of the class without notes.

Provide at least one visual aid (.ppt, white board, physical object, video, etc.) to emphasize key
points. If using slides, you should generally put white text on blue background and limit text to
6x6: no more than six lines to a slide, no more than six words to a line. Give listeners time to
read any text and/or take in any graphics you provide.

Maintain a natural, relaxed posture with appropriate gestures and a natural, conversational tone
of voice. Students will be graded on the substance, organization, and delivery of their presenta-
tion, as well as the quality of the visual(s) employed.

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Useful Web Sites

Internet
http://www.odni.gov
http://www.intelligence.gov/ (Official IC web site)
http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/wmdcomm.html (WMD Commission Report)
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/ (9/11 Commission Report)
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/index.html (Congressional Research Service reports)
http://intellit.muskingum.edu/ (lit reviews by former senior CIA/academic)
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence (CIA Center for the
Study of Intelligence)
http://www.nmia.org (National Military Intelligence Association)
http://www.oss.net (Open Source Solutions)
http://www.afio.com/ (Association of Former Intelligence Officers)
http://www.defenselink.mil
http://www.state.gov (State Department home page)
http://www.loc.gov (Library of Congress)
http://www.pnsr.org (Project for National Security Reform)

JWICS/Intelink
http://www.dni.ic.gov (ODNI web site)
http://www.intelink.ic.gov/sites/ppr/policy/default.aspx (Inside the IC Policy Portal)
http://www.intelink.ic.gov/sites/vision2015/home/default.aspx (DNI Vision 2015)
http://www.csi.cia.ic.gov/index.html (CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence)
http://www.csi.cia.ic.gov/studies.html (CIA Studies in Intelligence)
http://ismapp.dia.ic.gov:8080/Theses (NDIC MSSI Thesis database)

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