FAS

CIA Guide to Analysis of Insurgency, and Other Resources

02.04.09 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

A Central Intelligence Agency publication on the analysis of insurgencies that has often been cited but not widely circulated was recently released by CIA under the Freedom of Information Act.

“This pamphlet contains key definitions and analytic guides applicable to any insurgency…. Among other things, this guide is designed to assist in conducting a net assessment of the overall status or progress of a specific conflict,” the document (pdf) states.  The CIA “Guide to the Analysis of Insurgency” is undated, but may have been written in the 1980s.

Update: See also this 2012 revision of the “Guide to the Analysis of Insurgency.”

U.S. military intelligence agencies should follow the lead of Federal Express and other corporations and use “operations research” tools to guide their investment decisions and resource allocations, according to a new study by the Defense Science Board.  See “Operations Research Applications for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance” (pdf), January 2009.

The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AF ISR Agency) is a little-known successor of the former Air Intelligence Agency, and its mission is described in this January 27, 2009 Air Force directive (pdf).

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