CIA stands for the Central Intelligence Agency. CIA is the intelligence agency that belongs to the federal government of the U.S. CIA aids national security by gathering and processing secret information. CIA primarily depends on human intelligence, and it is responsible for taking covert actions.
Roles & Responsibilities
- CIA works under the Director of National intelligence of the United States, and this agency reports to him.
- CIA mainly works for the security of the country’s President and Cabinet ministers of the United States. CIA shares all the essential intelligence information that may be helpful regarding the security of the President and cabinet.
- In January 1946, the Central Intelligence Group was formed under the Director of Central Intelligence to provide intelligence information. Soon this group was changed to Central Intelligence Agency by the National Security Act (1947).
- The first director of the CIA was rear Adm. Sidney W. Souers. He held on this post from 23 January 1946 to 10 June 1946.
- The headquarters of the CIA is based in Goerge Bush Centre for Intelligence, Virginia, U.S.
- The present Director of the CIA is William J. Burns (2022).
- The motto of the CIA is “The work of a Nation. The Centre of Intelligence.”
- There are around twenty thousand employees in the CIA, and this agency’s annual budget is $ (U.S.U.S.) 15 billion.
- The official website of the CIA is www.CIA.gov .
- CIA works have been recognized worldwide, and some criticism is also associated with it. CIA has been alleged to conduct covert actions which and immoral and against international laws.
The purpose behind the establishment of the CIA
CIA was established to gather foreign intelligence information and process it. CIA is targeted to collect the secret information from reliable sources, evaluate the authenticity of the information and then do the covert operations if necessary.
The primary responsibilities of the CIA are:
- To counter the terrorist activities.
- Provide intelligence information to the American leaders about the events happening overseas.
- Provide the cyber information to authorities and keep in touch with the significant cyber activities.
- Keep the CIA safe from hackers and opposition intelligence agencies.
The hierocracy in the CIA is as follows:
The executive office of the CIA ranks at the top of the hierarchy. The administrative office is headed by the Director of the CIA, which the state president elects. Director can appoint the deputy director with the confirmation of the President. Director is in charge of the organization, and he manages the day-to-day activities happening in the CIA. U.S. military is also supported by the CIA.
All the essential information that the CIA collects about military operations happening or happening overseas passes to the military authorities. Sometimes CIA and military intelligence works together on a joint intelligence project.
Five directorates work under the executive office. Such as:
- Directorate of operations: This department gathers information about the foreign land and then conducts covert actions.
- Directorate of support: This department supports the executive office and other directorates for the smooth functioning of the entire CIA. This directorate includes the office of communications, office of security and office of information technology.
- Directorate of analysis: This department is also known as the directorate of intelligence. This department helps the President and policymakers regarding national security. This directorate is further divided into groups such as staff support groups, groups for transnational issues, and groups for regional analysis.
- Directorate of digital innovation: This department aims to empower the CIA projects and missions with the latest digital technology. This directorate is newly included in the CIA. This directorate boosts the cyber intelligence and digital intelligence of the CIA
- Directorate of science and technology: This directorate was created to bring out the research and provide the technical equipment for the functioning of the CIA. This department collaborated with the U.S.U.S. air force to build U-2 high altitude aircraft.
Training for CIA
- The first office of CIA training and education was established in 1950.
- The primary training for CIA officers is given at Warrenton Training Centre, Virginia.
- In 2002, CIA university was established with around 200-300 courses in intelligence disciplines. This university provides training to the fresh batch of students and experienced officers.
- CIA university has a partnership with the National Intelligence University.
- The students are sent to Camp Peary at Williamsburg, Virginia, for the more intense training.
Requirements to join the CIA
- The eligible candidates can join by filling out the online application form on the official website of the CIA
- The candidate must be physically present in the U.S.U.S. while filling the form (just for security reasons).
- The candidate must have U.S. citizenship and be above 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit for applying to the CIA. The person can be even 60 years of age when he plans to join the CIA.
- The candidate must be willing to work around the world. If the eligible candidate gets hired, he may have to shift to Washington DC first.
- All the security and medical requirements of the candidate must be valid and fulfilled.
Successes and failures of the CIA
Successes:
- CIA played an essential role in collecting the data during the cold war. It helped the U.S. negotiate and make a challenging strategy during the Cuban missile crisis.
- CIA bugged the primary communication of the Soviet military and photographed the targets of smaller sizes.
- CIA’s covert action included the restoration of the Shah in Iraq in 1953.
- CIA played a prominent role in providing the most crucial secret information to its officials during the Afgan war.
- CIA worked on the campaign “capture or kill” against al-Qaeda operatives. Since 1976 many terrorists have been killed or captured with the joint efforts of the CIA and military.
- In 2011, the leader of al – Qaeda and the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks were killed by U.S. Navy SEAL working under the CIA
Failures:
- A faulty intelligence by the CIA during the bombarding of NATO on Yugoslavia in 1999.
- CIA’s intelligence didn’t turn up to expectations in the assassination of Fidel Castro (Cuba’s leader) in 1960.
- In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed, and it led to a change in the mission and structure of the CIA.