ANNEZT  /L 
TO  DCID  1/3 
.     (New  Series) 
CRITERIA  TOR  DETERMINING     ....    . 
PRIORITY  NATIONAL  INTELLIGENCE  OBJECTIVES    ; 
(Effective  21  April  1953)  _      ^..    .  ;  -. -: 
1.  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives  should  be  directly  related 
to  the  intelligence  required  in  the  formulation  and  execution  of  national 
security  policy.  They  should  hot?  directly  from  the  intelligence  mission 
as  set  forth  by  the  NSC  and  are  therefore  merely  more  detailed  specifi- 
cations of  the  intelligence  required  to  fulfill  that  mission.  They  should 
provide  the  basis  for  determining  appropriate  research,  and  collection, 
requirements.  .  • 
2.  Most  of  the  intelligence  required  in  the  formulation,  and  execution, 
of  national  security  policy  will  be  the  product  of  normal  intelligence  col- 
lection and  research.  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives  should 
be  limited  to  those  critical  factors  which  require  special  attention  and 
effort.  •  *    - 
3.  In  order  to  afford  a  stable  basis  for  intelligence  planning,  a  state- 
ment of  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives  should  be  designed  to  * 
remain  valid  over  an  extended  period.    It  should  therefore  exclude  topics 
of  urgent,  but  transitory,  interest,  which  will  require  and  receive  ad  hoc 
treatment  in  any  case. 
4.  Broad  generalities  are  of  little  practical  use  as  priority  guidance  to 
collection  and  research.  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives  should 
therefore  be  specific  enough  to  provide  guidance  for  planning  the  alloca- 
tion of  collection  and  research  resources,  teit  not  so  specific  as  to  con- 
stitute in  themselves  research  and  collection  requirements. 
•  5.  Although  all  items  in  a  statement  of.  Priority  National  Intelligence 
Objectives  should  be  worthy  of  special  attention,  it  is  obvious  that  some 
will  be  of  greater  urgency  or  importance  than  others.  Any  listing-  ox 
such  objectives  must  be  based  on  an  analysis  of  the  world  situation  and 
US  security  interests  and  should  be  reviewed  annually.  The  following 
criteria  will  serve  as  guidance  for  determining  the  relative  importance 
of  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives. 
I.  First  Priority  Intelligence  Objectives  are  those- which  will  per- 
mit the  US:  (a)  to  anticipate  and  counter  those-  policies  or 
actions  of  foreign  states  which  would  occasion  gravest  conse- 
quences to  the  US;  and  (b)  to  stimulate  policies  or  actions  of 
foreign  states  (or  actions  within  them)  which  could  occasion 
greatest  benefit  to  the  US. 
n.  Second  Priority  Intelligence  Objectives  are  those  which. 'will 
permit  the  US:  (a)  to  anticipate  and  counter  those  policies  or 
actions  of  foreign  states  which  would  have  serious  consequences 
for  the  US;  and  (b)  to  stimulate  policies  or  actions  of  .foreign 
states  (or  actions  within  them)  which  could  occasion  great 
benefit  to  the  US. 
■■*.■»
III.  Third  Priority  Intelligence  Objectives  are  those  which  v;Dl  per- 
mit the  US:  (a)  to  anticipate  and  counter  those  policies  or  cc- 
tions  of  foreign  states  which  would  have  harmful  consequences 
•  to  the  US;  and  (b)  to  stimulate  policies  or  actions  ol  foreign 
states  (or  actions  within  them)  which  could  occasion  substan- 
tial benefits  to  the  US. 
. .. .     .  .;  j 
:•  :     *  * 
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