The Greatest Challenges to the U.S. Intelligence Community

Section I: Introduction

There are a myriad of intelligence challenges that are potential to face US intelligence if necessary precaution measures are not undertaken. Identification of threats to the national security and the US intelligence community is one of the possible measures of reducing the challenges of the community. The paper will focus on the probable challenges that might affect the US intelligence community in the next decade and possible solutions. It will offer a description of the challenges and an incorporation of the potential solutions.

            Section II: Three Challenges Confronting the U.S. Intelligence Community

            Challenge #1: Technological competition

In many decades, United States has enjoyed the monopoly of technological advance around the world. Most countries depended on the US for it to come up with technological solutions for their various fields including the security. The move made the United States intelligence community control the whole world by monitoring threats by virtue of their superior and technologically advanced equipment (Hansen 57). However, the future is predicted not to remain the same. Considering the latest technological advances giving competition to the technological solutions offered by the United States, the criminal threats will be difficult to handle in thenear future. Countries from Asia and the Middle East have moved at a very fast pace interms of technological advancesexposingthe United States’ intelligence to more complex crimes.

Considering that most terrorists have access to the Middle East and Asian countries, the technological advances such as advanced ammunition and atomic devices poses a great threat to the US intelligence community. Besides, the terrorists might find an opportunity to develop their criminal strategies using the high-tech technologies from these countries (Carl 4). The technological monopoly in the past served as an advantage to the US intelligence community as they could easily maneuver around the world with their superior devices. Forinstance, the increase in fiber optics and encryption will continue to deny the US intelligence community critical information. There is a challenge of technology to theintelligence community in the future, and the government should step forward to make sure that countries such as China do not leave the country behind technologically.

            Challenge #2: More coordinated and advanced cyber threat

The technology is advancing in every corner of the world with new graduates released now and then. Lack of unemployment makes most turn to cyber-crimes considering their vast knowledge in information technology(‘Eyes On Spies: Congress and the United States Intelligence Community’ 73). Currently, theUnited States has tried to combat the cyber threats, but in the future it may pose agreat threat to the US intelligence community(Lefebvre 459). Cyber threats are evolving now and then andare promoted by advancement in technology that may be beyond the reach of the intelligence personnel. The number of cyber threats in the United States and around the world is high considering the level of information technologies.

However, in the next decademost countries around the world will depend on computer network for various fields such as infrastructure, government control,financial transaction, and other fields. Considering the number of computer networking will increase across the globe, it will pose agreat danger to the security, and the US intelligence community will find it difficult to control. Besides,the expansion of the information systems and network connectivity around the globe will improve the coordination of cyber threats making it hard for the US intelligence community to track. The existence of expert systems and artificial intelligence systemscannotdeal with the cyber threats effectively but will only a faint hope of the community(Ziegler18). The social media platforms are likely to advance in the next decade further complicating the cyber threats. It is the responsibility of the government to train the intelligence community and provide updated devices to deal with the increased cyber threats.

            Challenge #3: New approach terrorism

The terrorism is predicted to change in the next decade with the group adopting new procedures and revolutionary capabilities. The nature of the attack will change according to the revolutionary capabilities, tactics, and increase in players. Terrorists are moving at a faster pace through the professional ranks compared to the US intelligence community, and soon they may outweigh their capabilities. Besides,the trends of the jihadist’ sympathizers continue to increase in support of their goals of creating instability. The sympathizers join forces with the terrorist with focus on the agenda of destruction and help them in accumulating advanced equipment for counterintelligence(Ziegler 23). Unless the US intelligence identifies mechanisms to deal with the terrorist sympathizers and cut their access to the advanced intelligence equipment and training, it will pose a great challenge dealing with them in the next decade.

            Section III: Conclusion

United States is an established Super Power around the world thus potential for occurrence of threats from all over the world. The intelligence community is thus surrounded by the environment that has socio-economic power shifts and revolutions from every corner of the world. Handling national security is a complex task that requires cooperation from all the stakeholders to achieve the desired goals. It requires extra effort by the US intelligence community to deal with all the challenges and ensure effective running of the security docket.

            Work cited

Carl, Noah. ‘Cognitive Ability And Party Identity In the United States.’Intelligence 47 (2014): 3-9. Print.

‘Eyes on Spies: Congress And The United States Intelligence Community.’Choice Reviews Online 49.08 (2012): 49-4753-49-4753. Print.

Hansen, Morten. ‘Intelligence Contracting: On The Motivations, Interests, And Capabilities Of Core Personnel Contractors In The US Intelligence Community’. Intelligence and National Security 29.1 (2012): 58-81. Print.

Lefebvre, Stephane. ‘Philip H.J. Davies, Intelligence And Government In Britain And The United States: A Comparative Perspective. Volume 1: Evolution Of The US Intelligence Community; Volume 2: Evolution Of The UK Intelligence Community’. Intelligence and National Security 28.3 (2013): 447-449. Print.

Ziegler, Charles A. ‘UFOs And The US Intelligence Community’. Intelligence and National Security 14.2 (1999): 1-25. Print.