Preview

Is Intelligence Worth The Cost

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
660 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Is Intelligence Worth The Cost
Its no secret that are United States has one of the most well financed national security organizations in the world. Our intelligence community’s are ludicrously funded. Combination of 17 agencies and organizations that conduct foreign relations and national security. There primary purpose is to advise and provide policy makers the benefit of their best judgment. The three basic questions asked of intelligence: “(1) What capabilities do our adversaries posses? (2) What are their intentions- in particular, what is the most dangerous thing they may do? (3) What effect might all this have on our ability to accomplish our national goals?” (Introduction to Intelligence Studies, 13) So given such direct orders and no cap on spending why do they continue not get it straight? This is the question everyone is asking, why can’t they produce quality information and is it worth keeping them well backed with out significant results. I do not have confidence in a system that cost so much combined with missing the mark. …show more content…
spends nearly $1 trillion on national security programs and agencies annually, more than any other nation in the world. Yet despite this enormous investment, there is not enough evidence to show the public that these programs are keeping Americans any safer – especially in the intelligence community.” (Michael German, The US Intelligence Community Is Bigger Than Ever, But Is It Worth the Cost?, DefenceOne.com) There are many examples that prove this argument. For instance, the USS Cole, Indian nuclear bomb, and 9/11 terrorism attacks. All these occurrences have been crucial to our national security. Yet we have not been able to get ahead of the conflict. This is a pure contradiction, why poor money in to something that doesn’t work and has proven to fail time and time
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Controlling Irrational Fears After 9/11 Analysis
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Controlling Irrational Fears After 9/11 Analysis

    The author has a difficult time supporting, and ultimately doesn't prove, his second argument. To support the argument he only focuses on general opinions and anecdotes instead of the many details he provided for the first argument. He discusses how annoying the new antiterrorism procedures are and how much money we've wasted on them, but can't document that they are really useless.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    9/11 Intelligence Failures Report
    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages

    9/11 Intelligence Failures Report

    9/11 was not an inevitable event. If the correct policies and thinking were in place the entire situation could have been thwarted in its early stages. Assuming an event cannot happen or an action cannot be executed leads into failure from the beginning. This event placed the IC in the public view with an emphasis on how much a reform is needed. Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable must be possible. Creating a mindset like this among all those who work in the intelligence field can enable the best protection for the Homeland in the…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    How Did The Cia Influence America
    • 1900 Words
    • 8 Pages

    How Did The Cia Influence America

    Although small steps were taken during the years of World War I through World War II, it wasn’t until 1947 that an official Central Intelligence Agency was established. The United States is a very different place because of its existence. First and most importantly, the agency saves American lives by protecting our nation from foreign terrorist threats. Without it, our country would be more vulnerable and an easier target for enemies to attack. It is also true that the CIA has engaged in some actions that have created a negative perception of our American government. President Obama has had the job of attempting to repair America’s reputation as a fair and non-discriminatory country. He summed up the issue perfectly when he remarked during a speech, “Today we are engaged in a deadly global struggle for those who would intimidate, torture, and murder people for exercising the most basic freedoms. If we are to win this struggle and spread those freedoms, we must keep our own moral compass pointed in a true…

    • 1900 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Rights In An Insecure World
    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Rights In An Insecure World

    The logic of this article was well established, maintained, and organized. Her article was organized by different headings that talked specifically about that heading. Pearlstein unfolds the article by examining the possibilities to prevent another attack from happening. She then begins to emphasize Liberty and Security. Author steps further and talks about “Caught in Balance.”…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The 9/11 Misunderstandings
    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The 9/11 Misunderstandings

    On September 11, 2001 the United States experienced the most devastating attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor. This terrorist attack left people with several questions: Who would do this? and How could this happen? When the 9/11 commission report came out it revealed that there were intelligence failures on many levels, most importantly of which was a lack of or unwillingness of agencies to share intelligence. The Commission’s report noted, “information was not shared, sometimes inadvertently or because of legal misunderstandings” and “ Often the handoffs of information were lost across the divide separating the foreign and domestic agencies of the government” (9/11 Commission Report 2004, 353). For example the report highlights the case of Khalid al Mihdhar and Nawaf al Hazmi, two individuals that the NSA had identified and the CIA were tracking their movements…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pros And Cons Of Being Super Intelligent
    • 147 Words
    • 1 Page

    Pros And Cons Of Being Super Intelligent

    A pro of being super Intelligent is that you can get a good job, for being intelligent, and get money. Another pro is that you never fail, when being smart, and can pass all tests. If you are super Intelligent you are capable of complex tasks, that normal people can do, and answer them. The final pro is that everyone likes you, for being smart, so you have a lot of followers.…

    • 147 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Informative Essay: Should The CIA Exist
    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Informative Essay: Should The CIA Exist

    “We seek to develop policies and arrangements to make the peace both permanent and just. This can be done only on the basis of comprehensive and appropriate information” (Dwight D. Eisenhower). As the other countries start to build intelligence agencies after the WWII, it becomes more important America do build its own intelligence agency. Thus in 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency was created. Ever since, there had been a debate among the people if it’s necessary for the CIA to exists. America needs the CIA to protect the nation from terrorism, avoid any conflict with other nations, and compete with other countries’ intelligence agency.…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Critical Thinking Shortcomings Analysis
    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Critical Thinking Shortcomings Analysis

    In conclusion, Hanson’s narrow-minded view on what the defense cutbacks would do to the fabric of America did not leverage any clear critical thinking or “rationally-based tools that usually leads to a practical decision.”. 2 His summary clearly demonstrates his inability to leverage critical thinking, appealing to his readers fear and a presenting a false dichotomy. “History’s bleak lesson is that those societies with self-reliant citizens who protect themselves and their interests prosper; those who grow dependent cut back their defenses - and waste away.”…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Should The Cia's Attack?
    • 1857 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Should The Cia's Attack?

    They believe that Americans could have never expected an attack such as 9/11 could have ever occured against the United States. While it should be acknowledged that the 9/11 attacks were on a larger scale than previous attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda, supporters of this argument are fail to realize there were several ways that the CIA could have at least down-scaled or prepared for the attack. The CIA did not take action despite all of the warning of a terrorist attack and did not work to improve their own capabilities to prevent an attack. For instance, the CIA could have improved their capabilities such as improving their ability to collect knowledge from human agents ("U.S. Intelligence Agencies Failed to Prevent the September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks"). However, the agency did not work to find a way to do so. Additionally, numerous sources warned the agency of an imminent attack. In fact, the CIA received warnings from German intelligence agencies that terrorists were planning to hijack commercial aircraft to use as weapons to damage U.S. landmarks. A clear warning such as this one should have initiated a drive for the CIA to take action such as working with other agencies to put security measures in place to stop such as attack. Not only did the CIA receive many warnings, they also had knowledge that Al Qaeda planned to target United Airlines and American Airlines. This again was a clear signal of a terrorist attack which was again ignored by the CIA. Finally, on top of the warning received from German intelligence agencies, the CIA was also warned by French, Israeli, and Russian services (Significant New Information Details CIA Criminal Culpability in Allowing the 9/11 Attacks!). Given the abundant signals and warnings, it is inexcusable for the CIA to not have at least taken action to against the attacks. Although the scale of this terrorist attack was unprecedented and…

    • 1857 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Argumentative Essay About 9/11
    • 2595 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Argumentative Essay About 9/11

    The attacks of September 11, 2001 on our country was one of the most tragic and deadly days in our history. It brought a country together and the American strength of freedom and unity became a battle cry. After the dust had cleared, the questions came about that asked, how could this have happened? Were there not security and intelligence infrastructures and policies in place? Where did these failures occur? Will our country be vulnerable going forward? The events of 9/11 brought a large amount of vulnerabilities to the surface of our country’s security.…

    • 2595 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Homeland Security Budget
    • 1508 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Homeland Security Budget

    The total budget for the Department of Homeland Security for the 2016 fiscal year was 66 billion dollars (Homeland Security, 2016). This seems like a lot of money, but if you look at all that the Department of Homeland Security does, then you see that it is worth it. Also, if you compare the budget of Homeland Security to the budget of the military’s 585-billion-dollar budget, then Homeland Security’s budget seems small (U.S. DoD, 2015). Some could argue that the job that Homeland Security does is more crucial to the security of the United States, than the military. Therefore, the funding of Homeland Security should be increased, and the country could take a more self-dense approach to dealing with…

    • 1508 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Persuasive Essay On National Security
    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Persuasive Essay On National Security

    Is everything actually secure, or do they mislead us into false hope? The FBI, CIA, and our troops fight vigorously for our safety, but they are only human and cannot stop every crime. A national surveillance system in the government could stop actions before it happened. If violent crimes could be stopped before it happened, who wouldn’t jump to the cause? Millions of people could be living in peace. While security is important, some might reject being monitored because it is against their will. A surveillance system will know everything in people’s public lives and calculate every action. Private things will now turn into public business. If we were stubborn enough to reject an idea of a surveillance system, then we are letting the population die by violent hate crimes. The violence in our country will only grow in time, we must take action to stop it. We must be willing to sacrifice, believe, and fight for justice. There is no protection in the submission to crime. We must take action in the well-being of to nation. If it were to mean giving up some of our rights, it is for a worthy cause. Let’s stop crime and protect our beloved United…

    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    DDE 2300 Essay
    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages

    DDE 2300 Essay

    While Hanson pulls together world renowned facts related to failures in defense related strategies from countries around the world, whom have shifted to a national budget more focused on “butter” related efforts than defense, Hanson conveniently forgets the US' most successful strategy in ending the Cold War, the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), played a major factor in ending the Cold War 1947–19911. During this period Russia spent over 90% of its gross national product on defense which ultimately bankrupt their Nation2. Hanson provides numerous examples on the effects of social, political, and economic impact of budget decisions within the US, at the same time highlighting a myriad of shortcomings in his rationale to not support President Obama’s budget. Hanson is a registered democrat, whom advocates as a…

    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Military Spending in America
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Military Spending in America

    "U.S. Military Spending Is Out Of Control: 12 Facts That Show That We Cannot Afford To Be The Police Of The World." The American Dream. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. .…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is Intelligence
    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What Is Intelligence

    Many would say defining intelligence is easily done, or that intelligence is clearly the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. However, there is more than just one type of intelligence in people. Not every human has the same thought process and abilities. Every individual has their own set of unique abilities and talents that cannot be defined and captured in one sentence. Intelligence is defined by human beings, and by their actions, theories, beliefs, and innovations. Many have searched to define intelligence, which is why we are left with numerous theories of what intelligence actually is. Perhaps, there are two types of intelligence that categorize numerous talents and abilities possessed by humans.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics