| Description |
1 online resource (x, 277 pages) : illustrations |
| Contents |
Introduction : breaking the first law of intelligence failure -- Why does intelligence fail, and how can it succeed? -- Pearl Harbor : challenging the conventional wisdom -- The Battle of Midway : explaining intelligence success -- Testing the argument : classic cases of surprise attack -- The East Africa embassy bombings : disaster despite warning -- New York City : preventing a day of terror -- The 9/11 attacks : a new explanation -- Testing the argument : why do terrorist plots fail? -- Conclusion : preventing surprise attacks today -- Appendix : Unsuccessful plots and attacks against American targets, 1987-2012 |
| Summary |
How can the United States avoid a future surprise attack on the scale of 9/11 or Pearl Harbor, in an era when such devastating attacks can come not only from nation states, but also from terrorist groups or cyber enemies? This book examines why surprise attacks often succeed even though, in most cases, warnings had been available beforehand. The author challenges the conventional wisdom about intelligence failure, which holds that attacks succeed because important warnings get lost amid noise or because intelligence officials lack the imagination and collaboration to "connect the dots" of available information. Comparing cases of intelligence failure with intelligence success, the author finds that the key to success is not more imagination or better analysis, but better acquisition of precise, tactical-level intelligence combined with the presence of decision makers who are willing to listen to and act on the warnings they receive from their intelligence staff |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 241-266) and index |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
Intelligence service -- United States.
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National security -- United States.
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POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Government -- International.
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POLITICAL SCIENCE -- International Relations -- General.
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POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Security (National & International)
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Intelligence service
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National security
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United States
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| ISBN |
9781589016804 |
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1589016807 |
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