PREPARATION OF A NATIONAL-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE PRODUCT DURING PERIODS OF INTERNATIONAL CRISIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01082A000900060003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 26, 1974
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2 [ ,tIA-RDP80MO1082A000900060003-8
IC 74-213:=,
26 DEC 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT:
Preparation of a National-Level
Intelligence Product During Periods
of International Crisis
1. The reporting and analysis provided national consurrers d rin
an international crisis is overlapping and redundant. It is al go co stly.
It is time, we think, to see if these problems can be diminished
through a joint, USIB-spc,nsored community effort.
The material contained in various CIA, DIA,
and INR. crisis situation reports is about
90 percent redundant.
-? Differences in data and analysis in these
reports tend to confuse rather than clarify.
?- Excessive time and effort is expended in
an interagency effort to coordinate their
essentially repetitive products.
X1
-- Readers of the various crisis SITREPs have
complained to us about the problems created
by these redundant products.
2. 1 have asked d his Product Review staff to = eat
the waters in this regard. Tie finds Dick Lehman ready to tackle tlee
problem and Danny Graharc,, while a bit more hesitant, willing to g ve
the issue a careful review.
25
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3. I suggest you address this issue briefly, per the attache
Talking Points, at an early USIB meeting and indicate that you have
asked me to net up an interagency ad hoc working group to review tk
matter and make recommendations.
/s/ Samuel V. Wilson
Samuel V. Wilson
Lieutenant General, USA
D/DCI/IC
2tX1
2 X1
Distribution:
O.Addressee
1 H DDCI
1 ER
1 D/DCI/IC
IC Registry
PFCA Chrono
. PRD Subject
- PRD Chrono
:mjs (19 Nov 74)
Retyped for changes/ ml (23 Dec 74)
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A Proposal for Consideration by USIB
SUBJECT: Preparation of a National Intelligence Situation Summary
During Periods of International Crisis
As you know, the responsiveness of the intelligence community':.
products to the needs of national consumers is one of my paramount
interests. One area of particular concern to me is that of intelligence'
reporting and analysis during a major crisis. There is, unfortunately{,
a high degree of repetitiveness and overlap in the community's crisi.i
products, and this has been noted by our consumers.
For this reason I think we should try to determine the feasibilit';
of producing a single national intelligence report during times ol crisis.
In the spirit of learning to walk before we run, I think we need
to test our capability to produce such a product. Dick Lehman has
suggested that one way of doing this would be to agree upon some
sensitive area which is currently not in crisis for our test. Then
have the principal production agencies devote a few hours, one day
a week to testing our capability- -including our communications
capability--to produce a real time national intelligence situation
report.
25X1
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I suggest that we form an ad hoc committee under the aegis of
the intelligence Community Staff to examine the feasibility of this
proposal. We worked out the modus operandi for the National
Intelligence Bulletin in this way, and a similarly structured
committee could make specific recommendations concerning such
a test and the production of an intelligence community crisis report.
If we all agree, I would propose that we form the committee
now and then start tests around the first of February.
2
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USIB-D-71. 11/ .0
3 January 1.97
U N I T E D S T A T E S I N T E L L I G E N C E B CAA ')
MEMORANDUM FOR THE UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
Preparation of a National Intelligence
Situation Summary During Periods
of International Crisis
The attached memorandum from the Chairman, United States
Intelligence Board has been placed on the agenda for Board discussior
at its meeting on 9 January 1975.
25X1
xecu ive Secretary
25X1
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Attachment
USIB-D-71.11/1;)
3 January 1'7'75
Preparation of a National Intelligence
Situation Summary During Periods of
International Crisis
1. As you know, the responsiveness of the intelligence community' z
products to the needs of national consumers is one of my paramourt inte-?ests.
One area of particular concern to me is that of intelligence reporting a-r
analysis during a major crisis. There is, unfortunately, a high degree=
repetitiveness and overlap in the community's crisis products, and this 'L s
been noted by our consumers.
2. For this reason I think we should try to determine the feasibili:A, ,:,f
producing single national intelligence situation reports during times of ( risis.
3. In the spirit of learning to walk before we run, I think we reed t=
test our capability to produce such a product. Dick Lehman has sugge:>t&!d
that one way of doing this would be to agree upon some sensitive area wl ich
is currently not in crisis for our test. Then have the principal production
agencies devote a few hours, one day a week to testing our capability--
including our communications capability--to produce a real time nationa.
intelligence situation report.
4. I suggest that we form an ad hoc committee under the aegis of -Il
Intelligence Community Staff to examine the feasibility of this proposal. We
worked out the modus operandi for the National Intelligence Bulletin in t- is
way, and a similarly structured committee could make specific rec_omrr-=enda-
tions concerning such a test and the production of an intelligence comma-.city
crisis report.
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Attachment
USIB -D11'1.0
3 January 1975
5. If we all agree, I would propose that we form the committee Y.oow
and then start tests around the first of February.
SECRET
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