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l      xuxs    aocunenc    downgraded    to 
^UNCLASSIFIED    by    authority    of 
•Sec    3(B),     EO    11652,    on    12  /15  /  76&SUKt  DCID  No.  1/5 
'     by    246321.  (New  Series) 
DIRECTOR  OF  CENTRAL  INTELLIGENCE  DIRECTIVE  NO.   1/5 l 
TERMS  OF  REFERENCE,  WATCH  COMMITTEE  OF  THE  USIB 
(Effective  14  November  1958) 
'  Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  paragraph  4e,  NSCID  No.  1,  and  para- 
graph 10,a,(l)  of  NSC  162/2,  approved  by  the  President  on  30  October 
1953,  the  following  terms  of  reference  for  the  Watch  Committee  of  the 
USIB  are  hereby  established: 
Preamble 
The  Soviet/Communist  bloc,  as  a  potential  aggressor,  has 
the  capability  to  initiate  suddenly  at  any  time  and  in  a 
place  and  by  methods  of  its  own  choosing,  hostile  action  - 
in  such  strength  as  to  threaten  gravely  the  security  of  the 
United  States.  The  mission  of  providing  earliest  possible 
warning  of  hostile  action  will  be  undertaken  by  the  USIB 
agencies,  within  the  scope  of  their  responsibilities,  as  of  the  ' 
highest  priority.  The  proper  discharge  of  this  mission  de- 
pends upon  the  carrying  out  of  complementary  watch  and 
estimating  functions. 
A.  Name 
Watch  Committee  of  the  USIB. 
B.  Mission 
To  provide  earliest  possible  warning  to  the  United  States  Government 
of  hostile  action  by  the  USSR,  or  its  allies,  which  endangers  the  security 
of  the  United  States. 
C.  Functions  ''.."* 
1.  To  develop  and  operate  on  a  current  and  continuing  basis  an  in- 
telligence plan  for  the  levying  upon  USIB  members,  and  the  requesting 
from  other  U.S.  agencies  through  appropriate  channels,  of  the  intelli- 
gence requirements  necessary  to  provide  the  maximum  degree  of  advance 
warning  and  for  recommending  the  collection  priorities  of  these  re- 
quirements. 
2.  To  analyze  and  evaluate  information  and  intelligence,  both  cur- 
rent and  cumulative,  on  an  all-source  basis,  furnished  by  the  USIB 
agencies  relating  to  the  imminence  of  hostilities,  and  to  develop  there- 
from the  conclusions  as  to  indications  of: 
a.  Soviet/Communist   intentions   to   initiate   hostilities   against 
1  the  continental  United  States,  U.S.  possessions,  or  U.S.  forces 
abroad, 
1  This  Directive  supersedes  DCID  No.  1/2  of  11  May  1954. 
*  Aggressive  action  by  arnied  forces,  or  by  organizations  or  individuals  in  support 
of  military  strategy. 
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2  U.S.  allies  or  their  forces, 
3  areas  peripheral  to  the  Soviet  Orbit. 
b.  any  other  development,  actual  or  potential,  susceptible  of  direct 
exploitation  by  Soviet/Communist  hostile  action  which  would  jeop- 
ardize the  security  of  the  United  States. 
3.  To  report  promptly  their  conclusions,  together  with  significant 
indications,  to  the  principals  of  the  USIB  and  other  appropriate  re- 
cipients. In  the  event  of  an  impending  critical  situation,  USIB  princi- 
pals will  be  immediately  advised  after  which  the  provisions  of  paragraph 
4e,  NSCID  No.  1,  will  apply. 
4.  To  make  recommendations  to  the  USIB,  or  member  agencies 
thereof,  including  such  divergent  views  as  may  be  recorded. 
5.  The  Watch  Committee  shall  avoid  duplicating  USIB  estimative 
functions. 
D.  Composition  and  Organization 
1.  The  Watch  Committee  will  be  composed  of  a  Senior  Officer  repre- 
senting each  USIB  member  organization,  one  of  whom  will  be  designated 
by  the  DCI,  after  consultation  with  the  USIB,  as  Chairman  for  a  specified 
period.  The  Committee  will  be  supported  by  the  National  Indications 
Center,  headed  by  a  Director  to  be  provided  by  CIA  and  consisting  of  an 
administrative  Secretariat  and  an  Indications  Group. 
2.  The  Watch  Committee  will  meet  on  a  regular  schedule  as  de- 
termined by  the  Committee  and  on  special  occasions  when  requested  by  f 
one  or  more  of  its  members  or  their  principals. 
E.  Duties  and  Responsibilities 
The  Watch  Committee  shall  discharge,  or  direct  the  National  Indica- 
tions Center  in  the  discharge  of,  the  below-listed  duties  and  responsi- 
bilities. 
1.  Develop  and  operate  on  a  current  and  continuing  basis  the  Watch 
Committee  Intelligence  Plan  for  systematizing,  energizing,  and  coordi- 
nating through  appropriate  channels  the  world-wide  collection  by  U.S. 
agencies  of  information  and  intelligence  pertinent  to  the  Watch  Com- 
mittee mission. 
2.  Arrange  through  the  USIB  or  the  appropriate  member  thereof  for 
exploitation  of  every  domestic  and  foreign  source  of  information  and 
intelligence  pertinent  to  the  Watch  Committee  mission;  and,  among 
other  actions,  arrange,  at  appropriate  times,  that  representatives  of 
USIB  field  intelligence  activities  confer  with  the  USIB  and  the  Watch 
Committee  in  order  effectively  to  coordinate,  but  not  direct,  field  intelli- 
gence activities  with  the  activities  of  the  Watch  Committee. 
3.  Arrange  with  the  USIB  agencies  for  a  systematic  screening  of  all 
information  and  intelligence  received  by  them  by  any  means  for  the 
purpose  of  immediately  extracting  and  forwarding  to  the  National  Indi- 
cations Center  all  items  which  may  contain  indications  of  Soviet/Com- 
munist intentions  as  set  forth  in  C,  2  above  (this  procedure  is  in  addition
( 
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to  the  action  called  for  in  paragraph  4e  of  NSCID  No.  1) ;  an  agency 
evaluation,  where  appropriate,  will -be  forwarded  as  soon  as  possible. 
4.  Members  will  maintain  close  and  intimate  liaijon  with  their  re- 
spective parent  agencies  to  assist  them  in  ensuring  that  all  pertinent 
information  and  intelligence  is  being  made  available  to  the  National 
Indications  Center. 
5.  Continuously  screen  all  pertinent  information  and  intelligence 
received  from  all  USIB  agencies  for  indications  relating  to  the  Watch 
Committee  mission. 
6.  Develop  promptly  an  early  evaluation  and  analysis  of  each  indica- 
tion in  coordination  with  the  intelligence  agency  or  agencies  best  quali- 
fied to  deal  with  the  field  of  intelligence  to  which  the  indication  belongs. 
7.  Coordinate  with  the  individual  members  of  the  Watch  Committee 
the  selection  of  indications  for  consideration  by  the  Committee  in  regular 
and  special  meetings. 
8.  Prepare  material  for  use  by  the  Watch  Committee  to  assist  in  its 
deliberations  and  the  formulation  of  its  conclusions.     . 
'  '9.  Coordinate  the  reproduction  and  dissemination  of  approved  Watch 
Committee  reports. 
10.  Maintain  in  readily  usable  form  a  complete  and  integrated  file  of 
all  available  information  and  intelligence  pertinent  to  the  Watch  Com- 
mittee mission. 
(  IX.  Maintain  wall  maps,  charts  and  other  display  material  which  will 
most  effectively  assist  in  illustrating  and  interpreting  graphically  the 
current  and  cumulative  indications. 
12.. .Concurrently,  but  not  as  a  substitute  for  current  methods  of 
analysis  and  evaluation,  develop  and  test  (with  outside  assistance  if  de- 
sirable) the  application  of  mechanical  aids  and  techniques  to  the  prob- 
lem on  an  experimental  basis  with  a  view  to  their  eventual  use  in  assist- 
ing effectively  the  Watch  Committee  in  the  accomplishment  of  its 
mission. 
13.  Perform  such  additional  tasks  as  shall  be  required  by  the  USIB 
in  the  discharge  of  the  Watch  Committee  mission. 
ALLEN  W.  DULLES 
-'••••'  Director  of  Central-Intelligence 
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