THE O/NE-O/CI RELATIONSHIP

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 21, 2012
• Sequence Number: 85
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
PART II
The 0/NF--0/CI Relationship
It has become apparent over the past year that the function
of 0/CI' in relation to intelligence estimating requires further
definition, both as to the degree of estimating to be allowed in
current publications, and to 0/Cita role in support of the national
estimates process. It was-originally considered that while 0/0I
should evalute and comment on the raw intelligence it was currently
reporting, it should refrain from drawing any estimative conclu-
eions. It was thought undesirable that CIA should pass on to
high officials of the government estimates hastily produced by
a single CIA office which did not represent and might actually con-.
that with the considered and coordinated judgments of NIE'a. In
practice, however, this distinction between evaluation of intelli-
gence and the drawing of estimates has proved difficult to maintain.
0/CI comments in the CIA Daily and weekly publications have fre.?
quently ignored the distinction. One solution might be to enforce
a flat prohibition against any estimative comment whatsoever. On
the other hand,, it may well be desirable for current publications
to include initial first-hand reactions to the situations reported,
in such cases it would obviously be impracticable because of time
This document has been
approved for release through
the HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRM of
the Central Intelligence Agency.
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
limitations for 0/NE itself to prepare thestimative comments
or even to clear those prepared by 0/CI. Under these circum-
stances it would seem necessary,ato emphasize more
clearly that such comments are merely initial off-the-cuff 0/Cl
opinions which might be superseded later bg a more considered
and fully coordinated NIE.. many cases 0/CI, instead
.of making their own estimative comments, could more usefully refer
to existing national estimates which represent the coordinated
US intelligence view. Up to now CIA current publications have
virtually ignored any reference to the numerous national intelli..
genre estimates already produced.
Another problem that has arisen is that of more fully util#-
.zing 0/CI resources in support of the national estimates process.
0/NE as a small independent office solely concerned with preparing
and coordinating national estimates must rely on other CIA offices
as well as on the IAC agencies for most of its intelligence support.
0/NE has already established effective working relationships with
0/RR and 0/ST in support of national estimates. However, 0/NE
stands in a somewhat different position relative to 0/CI than it
does to these other offices, which provide services of ttcommon
concern" not available elsewhere. 0/ICE has functioned from the
outset on the principle that in all other cases the basic material
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022ROO0200160085-3
acsrrimr-T...
for national estimates was to be provided by the TAC agencies.
This principle is implicit in the whole national estimates process.
Moreover, except in certain limited fields, 0/Cl is presumably not
in a position to do the full scale research and analysis recpired.
On the other hand, 0/NE,, with its limited resources, has
from the outset depended upon 0/C1's nuoh greater facilities for
systematically reviewing and analyzing the vast flow of current
intelligence data upon which the estimators vast rely. 0/CI
necessarily is constantly evaluating and processing a large amount
of current material which is of great value in keeping the estimators
abreast of developments, in providing essential background, and in
making certain that the intelligence which goes into national esti-
mates is accurate and up to date. It is in these fields that a
closer relationship between the two offices should be developed.
0/0I is already performing an a emely useful function in keeping
0/NE, along with its other customers, briefed through its daily,
weekly,,-and other current publications which are distributed to a l.1
members of 0/NE. 0/CI analysts have been consulted on various pro-
blems and 0/CI has met a number 'of specific 0/NE requests. A
senior 0/NE staff member sits with the 0/CZ Indications Staff and
the IAC Watch Committee to keep in close touch with this vital field.
Nevertheless it seems desirable to utilize 0/CVs capabili-
ties more directly in estimates production. Perhaps the chief
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022ROO0200160085-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
contribution 0/CI could make,, aside from its current reporting,
would be systematically to assist 0/NE in ensuring that the in-
telligence going into each national estimate represents the
latest information available to the US government,, and is accurate
and complete., At the same time 0/0I could supplement agency con-
tributions with arV further information available to it, particu-
larly from sources not fully processed by the other IAC agencies,
In this manner 0/NE could be assured that the information in
national intelligence estimates was verified and supplemented so
far as possible by all US intelligence resources. In this m inner
too, any inadequacy of the IAC agency contributions could be more
~t readily detected and remedial measures undertaken., kiowever, 4 - r- -&t 0/CI
t-Mt r. 1t -,be -enabled4,-t"-,,gi, m,-t em .ority -t autw
it /i3' ona ?bi.1El to provide national in.
telligonce support, ,-; c' K_t s_,'f
A r,
the present statement of-0 -mission should..be.._amended"fir
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/21 : CIA-RDP84-00022R000200160085-3
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