ABSTRACT
A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests. Thus, the outcome of a national security decision will be determined by the interaction of many different and diverse elements. A national security decisionmaking process must bring to bear on any given national security problem a vast variety of data as well as expertise. The need for coordination is becoming increasingly acute in national security decisionmaking, and the quality of the coordination effort is becoming more and more a major factor in the quality of the outcome. Many decisions are taken at the institutional level — by the defense establishment, by the Foreign Ministry or by the intelligence services. In making a national security decision, a president or cabinet body must evaluate, coordinate and integrate the efforts, information, advice, expertise and suggestions from all subordinate agencies and institutions.
