Central Intelligence Agency

Definition/Scope: The vision of the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, is to be an Agency unmatched in its core capabilities, functioning as one team, fully integrated into the Intelligence Community. Their mission is to be the nation's first line of defense, accomplish what others cannot accomplish and go where others cannot go; carry out our mission by: Collecting information that reveals the plans, intentions and capabilities of our adversaries and provides the basis for decision and action; Producing timely analysis that provides insight, warning and opportunity to the President and decisionmakers charged with protecting and advancing America's interests; Conducting covert action at the direction of the President to preempt threats or achieve US policy objectives. The CIA is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is the successor to the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) formed during World War II to coordinate espionage activities between the branches of the US military services. Its primary function is collecting and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons in order to advise public policymakers. This group is classified as a terrorist organization by Iran. Prior to December 2004, the CIA was literally the central intelligence organization for the US government. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 created the office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), who took over some of the government and intelligence community (IC)-wide function that had previously been under the CIA. The DNI manages the United States Intelligence Community and in so doing it manages the intelligence cycle. Among the functions that moved to the DNI were the preparation of estimates reflecting the consolidated opinion of the 16 IC agencies, and preparation of briefings for the President. On July 30, 2008, President Bush issued Executive Order 13470 amending Executive Order 12333 to strengthen the role of the DNI.

Used For:

Protection WFF

Acronym:

CIA

Broader Terms:

Director of National Intelligence
Executive Order 12333
Executive Order 13470
Independent Establishments and Government Corporations (US Government)
Intelligence Community
intelligence organization
Joint Chiefs of Staff
National Intelligence Support Team
USA Patriot Act of 2001

Narrower Terms:

Al-Qaida
Arms Control Intelligence Staff
Center for the Study of Intelligence
counterterrorism
covert
Directorate of Intelligence
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
Foreign Counterintelligence Program
Global War on Terrorism
human intelligence
Intelink
National Intelligence Program

Related Terms:

CIA job titles
CIA personnel
civilian organization
Counterintelligence Enhancement Act of 2002
covert operation
cyberspace
Defense Joint Intelligence Operations Center
Department of Homeland Security
Director, Central Intelligence
Dragon Lady (U2)
Drug Trafficking Organizations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
human intelligence
intelligence collection management
Intelligence Community
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004
international environment
lead agency
National Counterproliferation Center
National Counterterrorism Center
National Security Agency
Office of Strategic Services