f 
ANNEX 
CRITERIA  TOR  DETERMINING     ". 
PRIORITY  NATIONAL  INTELLIGENCE  OBJECTIVES' 
1.  Priority  National  Intelligence  Objectives  should  be  directly  related 
to  the  intelligence  required  in  the  formulation  and  execution  of  national 
security  policy.  They  should  flow  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  reauired  in  the  formulation  and  execution 
of  national  security  policy  will  be  the  product  of  normal  intelligence 
collection  and  research.  Priority  National  Intelligence  Ofoj ectives  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  Obj ectives  should 
therefore  be  specific  enough  to  provide  guidance  for  planning  the  alloca- 
tion of  collection  and  research  resources,  but  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  o£ 
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: 
••  X.  First  Category:  those  which  will  permit  the  US  (a)  to  antici- 
pate and  counter  those  policies  or  actions  of  foreign  states  which 
would  occasion  gravest  consequences  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. 
IL  Second  Category:  those  which  will  permit  the  US  (a)  to  antici- 
pate and  counter  those  policies  or  actions  of  foreign  states  which 
would  have  serious  consequences  for  the  US;  and  (b)»  to  stinx- 
i
ANNEX 
i 
I  ulate  policies  or  actions  of  foreign  states  (or  actions  within  v- 
them)  which  could  occasion  great  benefit  to  the  US. 
III.  Third  Category:  those  which  will  permit  the  US  (a)  to  antici- 
pate and  counter  those  policies  or  actions  of  fore.'^n  states  which 
would  have  harmful  consequences  to  the  US;  and  (b)  to  stim- 
ulate policies  or  actions  of  foreign  states  (or  actions  within 
thern)  which  could  occasion  substantial  benefits  to  the-  UC  .    *  
■ 
c( 
v 
*  *  .  •        - 
'  "  -  '  PL*