A unique insiders' account of what CIA intelligence analysts do and why it matters
The common perception of a CIA officer is someone who collects secret intelligence abroad—a spy. However, the critical link between secrets and policy is the intelligence analyst. The CIA Intelligence Analyst brings to light the vital, but often-unseen, work of these officers.
Roger Z. George, Robert Levine, and the contributors to this book demystify the profession of intelligence analyst at the CIA and describe how the wide array of analytic specialties—or "disciplines" in the language of the CIA—function. The disciplines range from political, economic, leadership, and military matters to science and technology, cyber, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence. Each of the chapters—written by former or current CIA analysts—discusses how analysts interact with those who collect raw intelligence. Just as important, the chapters describe the relationships analysts develop with the diverse set of policymakers who use CIA analyses. The contributors reveal the key intelligence questions that analysts address, their methods, their products, and their challenges.
This book will be an invaluable resource for scholars of national security and intelligence who want to develop a fuller picture of the internal workings of the CIA and for those who are considering a career as an analyst.
Reviews
"Years ago, as a Senate investigator of intelligence, I met with Clair George, a famous (later infamous) CIA station chief. He was emphatic that what he produced were spies! I was impressed but later realized that spies were only an input. Intelligence is really about producing important insights for policymakers. And that is the work of analysts, as this volume describes so richly."—Gregory Treverton, former chairman, National Intelligence Council, professor of Practice of International Relations and Spatial Sciences, University of Southern California
"The CIA Intelligence Analyst is the most comprehensive and informative book concerning the production of intelligence analysis by the CIA yet published. The focus of the book is on the CIA's 'daily analytic work,' and the excellent chapters in the volume are written by veteran CIA analysts. The book will be of great value to scholars and practitioners as well as to students who are considering or planning to go into intelligence analysis as a career, and I highly recommend the book."—Dan Cladwell, distinguished professor emeritus, Pepperdine University
"Insightful, exhaustive, and important. An authoritative deep dive into the underappreciated and critical role of CIA analysts and their tradecraft, challenges, and impact on policymaking."—Amy Zegart, Hoover Institution Senior Fellow, professor of political science by courtesy, Stanford University
About the Author
Roger Z. George had a 30-year career as a political-military analyst at CIA and is the author of Intelligence in the National Security Enterprise and co-editor of Analyzing Intelligence and The National Security Enterprise. Robert Levine retired from the Central Intelligence Agency after 33 years and is currently a lecturer at John Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies.
