INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT TO CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01048A001100020139-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 139
• Publication Date: January 25, 1977
• Content Type: MF

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e
25 January 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: AD/DCI/IC
FROM Cord Meyer, Jr., SA/DDCI
SUBJECT Intelligence Support to Crisis Management
1. Following our meeting with the DDCI on. 16 November,
we sought the informal views of the other principal agencies
of the Intelligence Community concerned with intelligence
support during crisis -- DIA, NSA, and State/INR -- on the
proposals in our 12 October paper. The response has been
generally favorable. While the other agencies have certain
reservations in detail, they agree that the DCI could
exercise a greater degree of Community leadership during
periods of crisis and that the concept of a crisis coordinator
of intelligence activities and a Community crisis checklist
are sound. The specific written comments of DIA, NSA, and
State/INR are at Tab A.
2. We have incorporated these comments in a revision
of the 12 October memorandum. A draft of this revision, in
the form of a memorandum from the D/DCI/IC to the DCI, is at
Tab B. In this draft we have tried to accommodate.most of
the concerns of DIA, NSA, and State/INR and have described
the functions of the Coordinator (retitled DCI Crisis Advisor)
in greater detail. We have stated the various alternative
organizational options for the advisor role and have added
another option -- Chairman of a new DCI Committee -- which.
was not in the earlier proposal.
3. Since crisis liaison relations between the DCI, and
the Secretaries of Defense and State may well be part of the
larger issue of relations between new officials in. all three
positions, I believe the DCI should consider the liaison
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proposals separately from the establishment of the Advisor
and.the Checklist; the latter two being matters which can
be dealt with within the Intelligence Community itself.
4. I propose that we meet to discuss these proposals
when you have had an opportunity to review them.
or Meyer, r
Attachments: As stated
25X1 SA/DDCI/CMeyer
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 _ IG Staff
25X1 1._ C Staff
1 - SA/DDCI
25:
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MEMORANDUM FOR:'. Director of`Central Intelligence
FROM
SUBJECT
D DCI IC
Intelligence Support to Crisis Management
In accordance with your 16 August instructions, we
have reviewed the Intelligence Community's procedures for
national intelligence support in crisis situations. We have
concluded that.the existing formal mechanisms (NIO coordina-
tion, the Strategic Warning Staff, Alert Memorandum, CRITIC
reporting, the National Intelligence Situation Report, NOIWON
conferencing and the Time-Critical Requirements procedures
of the COMIREX and SIGINT Committees) are basically sound
and should be continued. While my staff is continuing to
study ways in..which the Intelligence Community can improve
its future ability to pr.ovi.de warning intelligence and
intelligence support during crises, we have found that there
are some specific measures that could be taken now that would
improve your ability to lead the Intelligence
crises and would assist you in providing more
to U.S. foreign policy and military responses
of crisis. Briefly these measures are:
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Community during
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b. `':the establishment of the position of DCI
a. the institution of a Checkli'st'of "Intelligence
Community Actions 'during 'Cr'ises,
Crisis Advisor..'
the .designation of formal DCI liaison
,representatives to State and Defense crisis planning
groups.
In reviewing Community actions:.in recent minor crises,
we noted the essentially ad hoc and piecemeal nature of decisions
on how to organize intelligence resources to cope with each
crisis. As has been noted in various post-mortems, the delays
and confusion that this causes detracts from'quick and effective
marshalling of our collection and analytic resources. Without
inhibiting flexibility we believe that a more deliberate approach
to considering actions to be taken during crises could reduce
unnecessary delay and confusion. To this end, we have drafted
the attached 'Checklist 'of Intelligence 'Communi'ty Actions During
Crises. This Checklist identifies specific actions to be
considered in any crisis situation and assigns responsibility
for them. The actions described would not be mandatory, but
would be those that should be considered in each crisis situation.
The actions are listed in nominal order. but it-is recognized
that events may place certain of these actions in a different
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 sequence. CIA, DIA, NSA, and State/INR have informally
indicated that. the concept., of having such .a checklist is.
sound and should be adopted. The.present draft describes:
Community-level and internal CIA procedures and responsibilities.
procedures to it. You may wish to have this done and. further
The other agencies have not added their comparable internal.
assumes adoption of certain of the other proposals in this
refinements made under NFIB auspices. Further, the Checklist:
to insure that the Community's efforts are quickly focused on
crisis; who would work with the NIO, the National Intelligence
Situation Report Task Force, and Intelligence Community components
informed on Community activities and capabilities during a
.a DCI Crisis Advisor who would keep the DCI and the NIO fully
3. There is general agreement that there is a need'for
memorandum.
Intelligence interface with the Pentagon's Collection Coordination
actions during a crisis; and who would serve as the National.
key intelligence needs and on intelligence support to U.S.
gence efforts by ensuring that the entire Community is efficiently;
Facility. This Advisor would support and complement the NIO
in his task of organizing the Community's substantive intelli-
and effectively working together in providing intelligence
support during a crisis. This advisor would be knowledgeable
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a crisis,and',would allow them more time for analysis and
the N30 andthe'Chief of the National Intelligence. Situation
Report Task Force from worries about collection assets during
they relate to warning and crisis operations and would free
of Community organization, capabilities, and procedures as
4. We are persuaded that the position of a DCI Crisis
Advisor is a full-time one. He could only.carry out his
duties during a crisis if, by virtue of his normal responsi
bilities, he had carefully studied our"intelligence capabilities,
organizations, and procedures and had established the necessary
relationships and understandings with Community components
during non-crisis periods. His non-crisis period duties might.
substantive intelligence coordination.
a. Keeping the 'Checklist 'of 'I'ntel'l'igen:c'e 'Community
Actions During 'Cri'ses current.
b. Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of the
structure and functioning of the Intelligence Community,
(and related parts of the national security structure).
c. Develop and coordinate Community contingency
planning. for anticipated crisis situations.
d. Develop improved Community procedures. for
handling warning and crisis intelligence.
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e. Coordinate intelligence support to State and
Defense contingency planning.
f. Occasionally, conduct small-scale exercises,
based on selected crisis scenarios, to test improvements.'
in our procedures or to correct noted deficiences.
We are less certain what organizational niche the DCI
the CIA Operations Center, reporting directly to
c. An additional duty for the Director of
pros and cons of each.
a. A member of'the NIO Staff.
b. A member of the IC Staff.
options should be considered and are prepared to discuss the
Crisis Advisor should occupy. We believe that the following
d. A chairman of a DCI committee on warning
the DCI in this capacity.
intelligence tailored to those needs. NIO and'DDO representation
conveying State's intelligence needs and providing prompt
communications between the Department and the Community'in
coordinate Community'actions with the Department, and improve..
Crisis Task Force (when such a Task Force is established) could
6. A DCI Representative to the State Department Interagency
and crisis operations.
has been provided to State in recent crises with mixed effect.
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Placing these ad hoc arrangements on a .more formal basis may
lend more weight to a DCI presence in Departmental crisis
We believe that this representative can be selected. according to
the needs of a specific crisis, but that the Department needs
formal notice that such a representative would probably be
provided in a crisis to carry out specified tasks.
7. A DCI Representative to-JCS crisis planning groups
should be designated as an individual who would work with the
Joint Staff to improve communications between the JCS and the
Intelligence Community, to improve national intelligence support
to military planning and operations during a crisis, and to keep
the DCI and the Community informed of U.S. military actions so
that support can be provided and better analysis of foreign
reactions can be made. This has been a. weakness in our relations
with the Pentagon in several crises and is an area where the
Director can take initiatives to improve our relationships. We
do not believe this to be a full-time job, but we do hold that
this representative must be of high enough rank to allow access
to the Joint Chiefs, themselves. We recommend that you designate
the Director of DIA as your Rep:re.sentative to-the-JCS for
Intelligence Community support to military planning and opera-
tions and hold him responsible for keeping you, the NIO, the
Chief of the National Intelligence Situation Report Task Force,
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and .the DCI Crisis Advisor. fully informed onU.S. military
plans.and actions:so:':that appropriate: Community elements can
properly as.s-ess:.:fo.reign. reaction to: 'U. S. 'activities* and so.
that: the Community can' plan for more effective national
intelligence support :to: U. S.* military operations,'
8. You may wish to' consider' these' proposals for 'i.mp.r.o.ved.
liaison relations -during crises with State and: Defense
separate.l'y~ as part of 'the larger issue of your relations with
the new.Secretar.ies.'.The: establishment of the Crisis Advisor
position and the .Checklist, however, .are matters which scan, be
dealt with 'within the 'I.ntelligen:ce Community itself and., as
.such,' are matters you may wish' 'to place on the' NFIB agenda.
Attachment: Draft Checklist of Intelligence: Community
Actions' During Crises
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