Intelligence Theories, History, and Failures: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of intelligence theories, including psychometric, cognitive, cognitive-contextual, and biological perspectives, and examines how social sciences have attempted to explain intelligence phenomena. It explores the structures and processes of the US intelligence community over time, detailing its history and evolution. The report also investigates past intelligence failures, such as the Pearl Harbor attack and the 9/11 attacks, with a focus on failures caused by barriers in information sharing. The analysis includes a discussion of how the US has come to its current position in intelligence operations, and the impact of communication issues. The report provides references to support the analysis.

Running head: INTELLIGENCE THEORIES
INTELLIGENCE THEORIES
Name of Student
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Author’s Note

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Part 1
The theories of intelligence
There are numerous theories of intelligence which consists of psychometric theories,
cognitive-contextual theories, biological theories and cognitive theories. Psychometric
theories are obtained from gaining knowledge from the individual differences in the test
performance on various tests that are cognitive (Richelson, 2018). Cognitive theories have
been derived from understanding various processes that are involved in the performance of
intelligence groups. Cognitive-contextual theories tend to emphasize numerous procedures
which help in demonstrating the intelligence within a certain context. Some vital theories
include Stenberg’s triarchic theory, Piaget’s theory for development along with Gardner’s
theory that is relevant to multiple intelligences.
Issue of how social sciences have attempted to explain intelligence phenomena
While explaining the phenomena of intelligence from the perspective of social
sciences, there had been various challenges, these challenges include the fact that even if the
intelligence community has access to more data, this would not mean that they have better
data and information does not help in enabling the government to take actions (Pillar, 2018).
As per the explanation of social sciences, the protection the procedures of data collection is
more important as compared to the possibility of undertaking various actions on the bases of
the collected data.
Structures and processes of intelligence over time
Intelligence has always been necessary for protection as well as national security. For
this process they require to maintain a certain structure and procedures. The structure include
State as well as major area fusion centres that are urban and serve in the form of a focal point

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within a state along with logical environment for a certain receipt, gathering, analysis along
with sharing the data related to the challenges. The structure had changed over time and new
technologies have been introduced in order to make their procedures even more easy to use
(Andrew & Dilks, 2016). Fusion centres are also a part of the structure which help in public
safety, public health, empowering front line law enforcement, critical infrastructure,
emergency response and fire safety had been created for helping FBI and DHS.
The processes that are followed by intelligence helps in producing as well as
disseminating technical and scientific intelligence along with military capabilities analysis on
various ground forces of foreign that are required by the commanders who belong to
department of war fighting, force modernization along with development and research
communities, national policy makers (Clark, 2016). These ensure the fact that U.S. forces
attain decisive edge in future as well as present operations of military.
History of U.S. intelligence community
The community of intelligence situated in U.S is a complete group of 17 U.S.
government organisations of intelligence which are responsible for working separately for the
purpose of carrying out intelligence activities for supporting foreign policy along with
national security of U.S. Executives of order 12333 had charged the intelligence community
with various objective, these objectives include collection data that are required by President,
Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and some ore executive branch
officials for performing their responsibilities.
How United States had come to the position now
United States had come forward up to this position by informing the customer of
intelligence community regarding the factual developments usually with the help of
dissemination of the collected results (Caparini, 2016). They have also processed, aggregated

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along with interpreting various facts with the help of extensive knowledge for evaluating
trends as well as events.
Part 2
Past intelligence failures
Various intelligence failures that had occurred in the past include Pearl Harbor
Attack, The Tet Offensive, The Iranian Revolution, The Bay of Pigs Invasion, The Yom
Kippur War, The Collapse of the Soviet Union, The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, The 9/11
Attacks, The The Iraq War, and Indian Nuclear Test.
A failure that had occurred barrier to information sharing
One of the most important example of intelligence failure that had occurred due to
barrier in information sharing include the attack of 9/11. Communication issues and
successes had played a vital role in this particular attack as well as their aftermath. The
systems had been destroyed as well as overwhelmed by weights that are more than they had
been designed for carrying. It had failed in operating as desired or intended (Johnson, 2017).
As per the statement provided by 9/11 commission employees there had been numerous
disasters in the communication at the level of federal government at the time as well as after
the attack. The sternest failures had taken place in “Air Threat Conference Call” which was
started by the National Military Command Centre when two aircrafts had gone down in
World Trade Centre, just previous to that The Pentagon had been the target.

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References
Andrew, C. M., & Dilks, D. (Eds.). (2016). The missing dimension: Governments and
intelligence communities in the twentieth century. Macmillan International Higher
Education.
Caparini, M. (2016). Controlling and overseeing intelligence services in democratic states.
In Democratic Control of Intelligence Services (pp. 25-46). Routledge.
Clark, R. M. (2016). Intelligence analysis: a target-centric approach. CQ press.
Johnson, L. K. (2017). National security intelligence. John Wiley & Sons.
Pillar, P. R. (2018). Intelligence, policy, and the war in Iraq. In Intelligence and national
security policymaking on Iraq. Manchester University Press.
Richelson, J. T. (2018). The US intelligence community. Routledge.