A Theory For Human Intelligence Operations

Abstract

The effectiveness of national military strategy or military campaigns are often evaluated in terms of intelligence success or failure. Examples of intelligence "failures" include the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, and terrorist attacks - most recently in Kenya and Tanzania in September 1998. A critical, analytic theory and principles of Human Intelligence (HUMINT) operations may permit a comparison between what constitutes success or failure of HUMINT operations; however, such a theory and principles are not openly available today in adequate detail. The goal of this project is to better understand how to plan and execute intelligence operations. This study proposes a theory of HUMINT operations that helps explain why and how intelligence operations are successful. This project will show that through the use of certain principles of intelligence operations, HUMINT operators can reduce what Carl Von Clausewitz called the fog of war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 07, 1998
Accession Number
ADA364548

Entities

People

  • Peter J. Dillon

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doctrine
  • Families (Human)
  • Governments
  • Human Intelligence
  • Instructors
  • Intelligence Collection
  • Intelligence Collection Disciplines
  • Military Operations
  • National Security
  • Schools
  • Second World War
  • Security
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.