Introduction
There are sixteen United States intelligence agencies that form The US IC (United States Intelligence Community). The community was ordered to be formed on December 4th, 1981 by President Ronal Reagan. The purpose of this community is to, both, work independently collaborate to ensure proper protection of national security through intelligence practices like collecting information and taking action against issues such as international terrorism, narcotics activities, illegal trade, immigration and any other activity causing threat to the United States by foreign agents or organizations. This paper focuses on three members of the IC; the CIA, FBI and NSA. (United States Intelligence Community – Who We Are, 2009)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
As the successor of the OSS, the CIA’s primary purpose was to collect and analyze important strategic information. Under the National Security Act of 1947, the CIA was assigned the tasks of coordinating the USA’s intelligence activities and integrating, analyzing and maintaining the collected information regarding intelligence affecting national security. It is made up of an executive office, four major directorates and other offices that have special purposes. The CIA is made up of four different parts; the National Clandestine Service, the Directorate of Science & Technology, the Directorate of Intelligence and the Directorate of Support. These carry out the entire process of collecting, analyzing and distributing and providing the intelligence information to the concerned US officials. (About CIA, 2008)
As far as relations with other agencies are concerned, The CIA acts as the “human intelligence” under the Director of National Intelligence. Its task is to obtain information from other U.S. government intelligence agencies, various sources of information; commercial, internal and international. Thus, the CIA plays a vital role and is one of the main sources of primary human intelligence information for the other members of the IC. (Bullock, 2007)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The FBI is the main unit of the US Department of Justice. The agency’s motto is “Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity”. The primary function of the FBI is to investigate federal crimes and prevent threats to the commercial, government, private and personal aspects of the country. It also holds jurisdiction over investigating cyber crime among others. Its current mission is to protect the US against terrorist attacks, international crime, cyber and technology attacks, and fight against public and government corruption and to protect civil rights, among many.
Its relations with other intelligence agencies are straightforward; to aid and collaborate on issues common to all of them in providing intelligence, assistance and analytical and investigative assistance in the fight against terrorism, international and internal crime at all levels and to ensure the safety of the people of the United States. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2009)
National Security Agency (NSA)
The NSA is a part of the US Department of defense and is concerned with cryptanalysis. This branch of intelligence agencies is responsible for the monitoring and analysis of communication signals analysis which are usually ciphered or encrypted. It is partnered with the Central Security Service (CSS) that offers crypto logical support and intelligence to the military. The NSA’s primary function is to collect, organize and analyze cryptic signals analysis information from international and other sources, needed by governmental and other intelligence agencies. The NSA also has a hand in regulating signals communication, including transmission and other operating activities.
The NSA has two major divisions; the Signals Intelligence Directorate (SID), with the responsibility of handling foreign signals intelligence information, and the Information Assurance Directorate (IAD), that is concerned with the security of US information systems, the various data they hold and the processes and applications being run on them.
As mentioned, the CSS part of the NSA provides signals analysis and other intelligence services to the military intelligence agencies. Like other agencies, the NSA’s duty is to collaborate with other members of the IC in fighting terrorism, crime and to provide technical communicational support that the other agencies require to carry out their operations. (About NSA, 2009)
References
About CIA. (2008). Web.
About NSA. (2009). Web.
Bullock, J. A. (2007). Introduction to homeland Security. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2009). Web.
United States Intlligence Community – Who We Are. (2009). Web.