US Intelligence Primer

For those readers interested in better understanding the functions and components of the US intelligence community, read Intelligence Issues For Congress.

This 23-page Report for Congress was updated February 27, 2007, by the Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service.

It briefly and simply (remember, it is written for elected officials) discusses such topics as:

• The Intelligence Community
• The "INTs": Intelligence Disciplines
• Integrating the INTs
• Intelligence Budget Process
• The 9/11 Investigations and the Congressional Response
• Oversight issues
• Ongoing Congressional Concerns (including collection capabilities, analytical quality, Iraq, international terrorism, and intelligence support to military forces)
• Issues In the 110th Congress (including quality of analysis, implementation of the Intelligence Reform Act [PL 108-458], ISR programs, terrorist surveillance program/NSA electronic surveillance, role of the CIA, role of the FBI, role of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, paramailitary operations and defense HUMINT, and regional concerns, CIA and allegations of prisoner abuse.