ABSTRACT
My subject was intended to be the contrasts between UK and US intelligence. But in reflecting on it I was struck not only by the differences but also by the similarities. At a basic level, for example, both countries think in terms of communities of specialist agencies, rather than monolithic intelligence services on the KGB pattern. Both assume that ‘intelligence’ has two complementary facets: it is both the collector/exploiter of special single-sources, usually covert in nature, and also government's all-source expert on some subjects. By no means all other countries view intelligence in these lights. There is also the degree of UK— US interaction; each has learned from the other, and continues to do so. So I have inserted a question mark in my title. Is it a study in contrasts or similarities?
