The book s underlying theme is that intelligence must be understood within the context of the larger policy process that it serves. Logically organized, Intelligence opens with an examination of intelligence, including its main attributes, historical development, and current structure. Lowenthal then discusses in detail the process by which intelligence is created and used, including its consumption by policy makers. Rounding out this systematic coverage, Intelligence includes chapters on covert action, counterintelligence, and oversight as well as discussion of the challenges and issues facing the intelligence community in the post-Cold War era.
Intelligence is flexible enough to be used as either a core text or a supplement.
Each chapter concludes with a list of key terms and a suggested reading list. In my view, he is the standard-setter for explaining the profession, whether for academics, practitioners, or the general public. A must-read for those who care about intelligence and how it is used. He explores the relationship between intelligence and policy one of the most perplexing and misunderstood. Richard Kerr Former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence About the Author Mark M. Lowenthal is an internationally recognized authority on the U.S. intelligence community and national security issues, with over twenty-two years experience in both the Executive and Legislative branches of government.