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Who We Are and
What We Do

What is Intelligence?

This question is not easy to answer and, depending on who you ask, you may get different answers. But most people agree that intelligence is information needed by our nation's leaders, also known as policy makers, to keep our country safe.

 Policy makers, like the President, do not have time to read all the other countries' newspapers . . . there are just too many of them. Also, there is information that other countries will not share with the United States, called secrets. All this information is very important to our nation's leaders.

The intelligence puzzle begins when the President, National Security Council or Cabinet members have questions that need answering. Just as there are different types and sizes of puzzles, there are different categories of intelligence:

    -- Current Intelligence looks at day-to-day events.

    -- Estimative Intelligence looks at what might be or what might happen.

    -- Warning Intelligence gives notice to our policy makers that something urgent might happen that may require their immediate attention.

    -- Research Intelligence is an in-depth study of an issue.

    -- Scientific and technical intelligence is information on foreign technologies.

Once a question is asked and we determine what type of "puzzle" it is, we then set out to solve it for the policy maker. The answers to these questions are intelligence.

Index
What Is Intelligence Main Page
What We Do
The People
The Organization
Disguise
Intelligence Cycle
Executive Oversight
Congressional Oversight
CIA Kids Page

Index to CIA Kids Page | What Is Intelligence Main Page | Our Mission | The People | The Organization | Try on a Disguise | The Intelligence Cycle | Congressional Oversight | Executive Oversight | CIA Kids Home Page