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| Afghanistan |
| Petraeus tells CIA analysts to heed troops on war |
| 2011-10-14 |
| Appears to be disconnect on the assessment. Heed my More on the temporary local Afghan specific tactical successes, much, much less on the strategic regional implications. A more balanced report. Oh, ok, I think I get it. It's the National Intelligence Estimate (NEI) report card that is important. Not the FACTS! Sorry General, I'll have to go with the CIA 'desk analysts' who see the larger picture on this one. By the way, best of luck with that "early in the process" input from unit commanders. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #6 you can rest assured twenty and thirty year old analysts do not produce a finished intelligence product without senior comment, detailed QC, and extensive oversight IIUC, the turnover also extended to the upper levels as well, especially senior analysts. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-10-14 21:33 |
| #5 Forgive my skepticism about the CIA's senior analysts, because I agree that there are things the CIA does quite some of which we know about, like the UAVs in Pakistan, and most of which I, at least will never have the slightest inkling, which is as it should be, regardless of my 'satiable curiosity. Nonetheless, when I think of CIA National Intelligence Estimates, that travesty about Iran comes immediately to mind, in which the CIA claimed Iran had given up pursuit of nuclear weaponry, even as MEMRI was translating public statements by all sorts of official Iranians that as soon as nukes were acquired Isrqeli would be wiped off the map. 2006, I think that was, designed to keep President Bush from acting. I very strongly suspect the report was not the idea of the inexperienced youngsters. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-10-14 20:38 |
| #4 I am certainly no huge fan of the agency, but to their credit, you can rest assured twenty and thirty year old analysts do not produce a finished intelligence product without senior comment, detailed QC, and extensive oversight. And you can bet your a** nothing goes into the NIE without a very thorough review and screening by the front office, director of opns, agency deputy director and director. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2011-10-14 17:10 |
| #3 There has been massive turnover at Langley since 2001. By far the majority of those desk analysts are in their late 20s and early 30s now. One wonders how many of them go beyond online searches and twitter feeds to get important information - and how many of them have well-grounded frameworks within which to evaluate it. |
| Posted by: lotp 2011-10-14 13:00 |
| #2 A radical idea. I've one better, though. Make military service with honorable discharge a prerequisite for any CIA position. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-10-14 12:33 |
| #1 It's better to have input early in the process BEFORE conclusions are drawn. Note that CIA analysts have been known to be wrong and/or influenced by outside political forces in the past. |
| Posted by: tipover 2011-10-14 12:27 |