Privatising Intelligence

Summary

During the Cold War Western intelligence agencies were focused on a well‐defined threat the Warsaw Pact. Their methods and sources were designed and exploited accordingly. In the post‐Cold War world, these agencies have been quick to justify and perpetuate their existence by identifying new threats to national security ‐terrorism, drug trafficking, information warfare, for example. However, they have been less willing to change their techniques and open themselves to the facilities, and hence the scrutiny, of the private sector. In the age of CNN, the Internet and multinational companies, the private sector is acquiring the means and the expertise to gather and analyse information at least as effectively as the ‘cloak and dagger brigade’. If the mutual suspicion between the intelligence community and the private sector can be broken down, the efficiency and effectiveness with which the new threats are met will be signific antly enhanced.