2 homeland security forum responses

Class,

Intelligence collection varies between different ways the intelligence is actually connected. Each way is beneficial and each way is important. These ways are Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), Measurement and Signatures Intelligence (MASINT), Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), and Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT). Human Intelligence is the most different out of all of the technlogically based intelligence, each having limintations that challenge collection and specific capabilities that are unlike other types of intelligence.

The book Intelligence, From secrets to policy by Mark M. Lowenthal breaks down this comparison between HUMINT and the other technilogical types of intelligence. Sometimes these other types of intelligence are better than a human interaction but technology also can't replace human interaction no matter what. Sometimes it is just more efficient to do that way then through technology. According to the lesson most human intelligence is conducted by agents working for the FBI or the CIA. Within intelligence collection there are almost always interviews. These interviews can not be conducted through intelligence, human intelligence is most definitely always needed. According to Lowenthal, advantages to human intelligence are that it provides insight into certain situations that you can not get from technology. It is also the most inexpensive type of intelligence as technology is very expensive. Disadvantages include the risk, planning time and possible double agents. There is huge life risk involved when dealing with HUMINT where this is not really a problem in the other types of intelligence. There is a lot of planning with human intelligence as because of the huge risk things need to be planned very carefully. Double agents is another issue within human intelligence where things can get complicated and more risky. Other types of intelligence have a ton of capabilities. These include being remotely controlled and controlled from anywhere at anytime, the military is familiar with these types of intelligence so they are used in a lot of military operations as well as the starting point in the intelligence collection process. These types of intelligence can also be hard to read and to interpret. When this information is encrypted then the analyst can not read it.

All of these types of intelligence are capable of a lot along with challenges that sometimes affects their ability to do the job.

~Bri

Work Cited:

Lowenthal, Mark M. Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy. Washington, DC: CQ, 2000. Print.

Novak, Justin. "Week 4: Intelligence Collection." American Public University System. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2016. <https://edge.apus.edu/portal/site/333899/page/ff1feb4b-0ea5-43b6-9aac-f90c37e58bbf>.