Intelligence is a function that has been employed by nations and governments since the start of their existence. “From the spies sent by Moses to ‘spy out the land of Canaan’ to the advice of Sun Tzu to be subtle and ‘use spies for every kind of business.’” According to Richard Hughbank and Don Githens, “Intelligence is information that is analyzed and converted into a product to support a particular customer. Intelligence is both a process and a product that has played an important role in diplomacy and warfare throughout history.” The function of modern United States intelligence is often accredited to the 1950s and 1960s as the Cold War intensified and the Intelligence Community developed and expanded exponentially. However, the use
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This was an intelligence organization that aimed to gather foreign intelligence from England, Ireland and other European countries. The organization succeeded in gaining covert military assistance from France beginning in 1775. Throughout the Revolutionary War, General Washington utilized intelligence avidly in order to fight the better organized, better funded, and far more powerful British Army. Espionage, counterintelligence and clandestine operations were vital in order to compete with the world superpower. “Washington recruited and ran a number of agents, set up spy rings, devised secret methods of reporting, analyzed the raw intelligence gathered by his agents, and mounted an extensive campaign to deceive the British armies.” Likewise, the Americans utilized double agents, coordinated sabotage operations and paramilitary raids, used codes and ciphers, and disseminated propaganda and disinformation to influence foreign …show more content…
Congress agreed. Within two years the fund represented more than 10% of the federal budget, and within three years it represented 12% of the total budget. Congress required that the president certify the amounts spent, but the requirements allowed him to conceal the purpose and recipients of the funds. In the early 1800s, Thomas Jefferson used the Congress-approved fund in order to finance the United States’ first covert attempt to overthrow a foreign government. In the First Barbary War with Tripoli, Army officer William Eaton captured the second most important province in Tripoli, Derne, in a secret operation. Additionally, from 1810-1812, James Madison used the fund to employ agents and clandestine paramilitary forces to influence Spain to relinquish territory in Florida. Several presidents from then on, utilized clandestine agents and operations in overseas missions that, according to President Polk, required secrecy and a lack of oversight in order to be
This was an intelligence organization that aimed to gather foreign intelligence from England, Ireland and other European countries. The organization succeeded in gaining covert military assistance from France beginning in 1775. Throughout the Revolutionary War, General Washington utilized intelligence avidly in order to fight the better organized, better funded, and far more powerful British Army. Espionage, counterintelligence and clandestine operations were vital in order to compete with the world superpower. “Washington recruited and ran a number of agents, set up spy rings, devised secret methods of reporting, analyzed the raw intelligence gathered by his agents, and mounted an extensive campaign to deceive the British armies.” Likewise, the Americans utilized double agents, coordinated sabotage operations and paramilitary raids, used codes and ciphers, and disseminated propaganda and disinformation to influence foreign …show more content…
Congress agreed. Within two years the fund represented more than 10% of the federal budget, and within three years it represented 12% of the total budget. Congress required that the president certify the amounts spent, but the requirements allowed him to conceal the purpose and recipients of the funds. In the early 1800s, Thomas Jefferson used the Congress-approved fund in order to finance the United States’ first covert attempt to overthrow a foreign government. In the First Barbary War with Tripoli, Army officer William Eaton captured the second most important province in Tripoli, Derne, in a secret operation. Additionally, from 1810-1812, James Madison used the fund to employ agents and clandestine paramilitary forces to influence Spain to relinquish territory in Florida. Several presidents from then on, utilized clandestine agents and operations in overseas missions that, according to President Polk, required secrecy and a lack of oversight in order to be