ABSTRACT
In order to understand America's current intelligence infrastructure, it is critical to understand its history. Unlike many other countries, the United States has not always maintained a strong, sustained intelligence effort. While it is fair to acknowledge George Washington as America's first “spymaster,” it is also accurate to note that, until World War II, intelligence advanced by “fits and starts.” The United States' first permanent, civilian intelligence agency—the CIA—was not founded until 1947. In fact, it was the Cold War that jumpstarted America's intelligence efforts. The intelligence community (IC) continues to transform itself from a remnant of the Cold War to a flexible, collaborative effort to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, which include cyberspace, terrorism, and aggressive competitors like China.
