Answer to Question 1
The National Security Act of 1947, which established the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), envisioned the enemies of the United States to be nation- states such as Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China. The result was organizations and authority based on strict distinctions between domestic versus foreign threats, law enforcement versus national security concerns, and peacetime versus wartime operations. The CIA was charged with developing foreign intelligence outside the country and to collect and analyze information regarding national security in order to forewarn our government before an act occurs. The CIA, relegated to working outside the United States, has no arrest powers, and its activities are proactive in nature. The mission of the CIA is threefold: (1) Stop activities from terrorist organizations and nation states that threaten the U.S. homeland or U.S. interests abroad by collecting intelligence information vital to U.S. decision makers; (2) conduct effective covert actions against enemies of the United States as directed by the President; and (3) safeguard national secrets that maintain the security of the
United States. The National Clandestine Service, formerly known as the Directorate of Operations, is a major part of the structure of the CIA. It is the operation wing that carries out covert paramilitary operations against terrorist groups and cells outside the United States. Recently however, the CIA has shifted focus from traditional counterterrorism activities to cyber
intelligence and more offensive cyber operations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was given responsibility for domestic intelligence
inside the United States. The FBI is the primary criminal investigative body on any terrorist attack against the United States both domestically and internationally; and is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating all domestic intelligence information relating to terrorist attacks or threats. The National Security Branch of the FBI houses the Directorate of Intelligence and is responsible for ensuring that accurate and timely intelligence is embedded into all counterterrorism activities. The FBI is an intel-driven organization; that is, it combines investigation and intelligence operations to be more predictive and preventative in naturemore aware of emerging threats and better able to prevent them from occurring.
Opinions regarding the effectiveness will vary.
Answer to Question 2
b