The National Intelligence Council – with Michael Collins

SpyCast

Summary

Michael Collins joins Andrew to discuss the National Intelligence Council. Michael is the NIC’s current acting chair.

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

• The role of the National Intelligence Council
• National Intelligence Officers and their work around the world
• The products of the NIC, including the Annual Threat Assessment
• The importance of Intelligence Diplomacy and objective analysis

Reflections

• The power of collaboration
• Staying grounded and optimistic

And much, much more …

Quotes of the Week

“In the analytic product, the first paragraph says: Here's the bad thing. Second paragraph says: This is what the bad thing means for the United States. Third paragraph is: What can be done to stop the bad thing, or more importantly, to identify an opportunity. I have to be optimistic. If I weren't, I wouldn't be in this job.” – Michael Collins.

Resources

SURFACE SKIM

*SpyCasts*

• Telling Americans About China (and Intelligence) with Sara Castro (2024)
• CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024)
• The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022)
• The National Intelligence University with its President Scott Cameron (2022)

*Beginner Resources*

• America’s Intelligence Community, Explained, Washington Post, YouTube (2014) [2 min. video]
• What is Intelligence Analysis and Why is It So Important? National American University (n.d.) [Short article]
• Members of the IC, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (n.d.) [List of agencies]

DEEPER DIVE

Primary Sources

• 2024 Annual Threat Assessment (2024)
• IC OSINT Strategy 2024-2026 (2024)
• 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (2023)
• Updated Assessment of Anomalous Health Incidents (2023)
• Global Trends 2040 (2021)
• National Intelligence Estimates on Climate Change (2021)

*Wildcard Resource*

• This week’s guest shares a name with another intelligence professional: Michael Collins (1890-1922), a prominent leader of Irish independence.
• You may remember this Michael Collins from his involvement in the 1916 Easter Rising, but did you know he was also the Director of Intelligence for the Irish Republican Army? Check out some of “The Squad’s” spy gadgets and artifacts here.

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