CIA: history and current situation. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) overview

Each country has its own secret services that deal with state security, as well as foreign intelligence. For example, in Russia they are called FSB and GRU, in Great Britain - MI6. There are no exceptions. There are more secret services in this country than in any other. There are two organizations involved in foreign intelligence in the United States: the NSA and the CIA. The decoding of the abbreviation, as well as a description of the activities of the Intelligence Directorate, are given in this article.

CIA

Now let's learn more about this special service. The CIA is a US federal agency that collects and analyzes any information about the activities of foreign states, their citizens and organizations. This body is considered the main one in the United States intelligence system.

History of the creation of the CIA. Decoding the abbreviation

After the defeat of Germany, the United States had a need to create a powerful intelligence system, since the USSR was considered a potential enemy. And he had to be fought. Almost immediately the Cold War began, and during this period this organization was formed. The CIA came into existence in 1947 after the National Security Act was passed. It was signed by the then US President Harry Truman. The law came into force on October 18, 1947.

What is the CIA and how was it formed? It was created on the basis of the strategic service department that already existed at that time, which was active during the Second World War. The new body took over all its functions, and in 1949 the personal Law establishing the CIA was signed. The abbreviation is explained below. Fun fact: Some people believe that CIA stands for Central Assassination Investigation. That's not true, that's right - Central Intelligence Agency.

Organization management

Until 2005, it was headed by the Director of the Intelligence Directorate. This position was approved back in 1946. Beginning in 1947, all functions of the CIA leadership were additionally added to it, and the director also received the status of adviser to the President of the United States on security and intelligence issues. Already in 1981, he completely controlled absolutely all foreign and domestic intelligence activities of the United States.

What does the CIA do?

The main responsibilities of the organization include obtaining various information. It is collected through a network of agents and other means. But the CIA does not have police powers or domestic security functions. That is, the organization does not have the right to interfere in the affairs of the police and other law enforcement services. Also, the CIA cannot subpoena a citizen. The Directorate performs all duties and functions that relate exclusively to intelligence activities.

The answer to the question of what the CIA is has already been received. Now let's take a closer look at the responsibilities of this organization. The CIA evaluates and compares the results collected by intelligence, analyzes them, and makes forecasts. Based on them, the organization submits its recommendations to the government. The department also provides overall leadership and coordination of all departments that collect national intelligence. The CIA monitors all potential threats to the United States, as well as hostile entities operating on American or NATO soil.

Does the US Central Intelligence Agency use torture to gather intelligence?

In 2007, the CIA admitted that two tapes containing videotapes of interrogations conducted by their agents were destroyed. The Office said the procedure was quite “tough.” Michael Hayden, who was the director at the time, argued (with reference to the opinion of the security services) that all the methods used were completely legal. However, evidence of the brutal actions of American intelligence services was destroyed.

The Union for the Defense of American Citizens' Freedoms commented on this situation. His spokesman said the destruction of the tapes was part of a long and extensive process in which individuals had been spared criminal prosecution for abuse of power.

In 2008, Hayden admitted that during interrogations he used a waterboarding technique. But the Department does not consider this torture, but simply calls it a tougher interrogation. A total of 18 similar “non-tortures” were used. Congress put forward a proposal to ban the use of such influences to obtain the necessary information, but Bush threatened to veto this law. But already in 2009, Obama signed a document prohibiting torture.

Secrets

What does CIA stand for? Central Intelligence Agency. Accordingly, like any similar organization, especially on such a scale, it has its own big and small secrets. For example, it turned out that the CIA has its own prisons, which were previously unknown to anyone. They held persons suspected of terrorism.

In 2006, Bush Jr., then the President of the United States, officially admitted that such places really exist. According to him, prisons are necessary to ensure the security of the country and citizens, and only especially dangerous criminals are kept in them. In 2009, Obama ordered the closure of all classified CIA facilities. And not only in the United States, but also abroad.

CIA activities in recent years

There have been big changes in the global community, and the Office has had to make changes to its structure. Special centers have been created in which issues of weapons of mass destruction, counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, international crime and drug trafficking, arms control and environmental protection.

In addition, partnerships were established between the information collection system of the European Union countries and a similar department of the CIA. Decoding intelligence data from EU intelligence agencies is now available to America. A general analysis of sources is carried out on all issues related to US security.

The CIA also made active contributions to social activities in the form of regulation of services that are of interest in data collection. Closer cooperation has been created with other intelligence services, especially in the field of new developments and research that involve technical means.

The CIA emphasizes adaptation in the intelligence-gathering process and often takes a customized approach to analyzing key information. It also provides invaluable assistance in solving many problems that constantly arise after the end of the Cold War. If necessary, it actively cooperates with many other countries.

The Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA) is the coordinating center for US civilian and military intelligence.

Created in 1947

In the USA, as in any other developed country, there is a whole network of secret services engaged in intelligence activities. In 1908, a special investigative department was created in the Ministry of Justice, which the following year became known as the Bureau of Investigation, and in 1935 - the FBI. In addition to the tasks of political investigation and counterintelligence, the department was and is still actively involved in international intelligence operations.

There is an intelligence department headquarters American army G-2, which handles tactical and strategic intelligence, Naval Intelligence, Headquarters Intelligence Directorate air force A-2, etc. But no secret agency has such powerful potential, an extensive spy network, or solid financial support as the US Central Intelligence Agency.

The history of this department dates back to 1940, when a special SIS department was created under the FBI, designed to conduct intelligence activities abroad. E. Hoover, who served as head of the FBI under eight presidents - from C. Coolidge to R. Nixon, was approved as the head of the new structure. Parallel with SIS similar operations The Office of Strategic Services, created during World War II, was also involved.

Both departments were disbanded in 1947. In the same year, the CIA was created on their basis by the National Security Act, signed by President Henry Truman. Rear Admiral R. Hillenkotter became the first director of the CIA. In 1953, he was replaced in this post by his deputy A. Dulles, a man who was called “spy No. 1.” He headed the department until 1961.

It was under Dulles that CIA operations began to be carried out on a global scale, and it was then that the agency began to transform from an intelligence agency into one of the main centers where US foreign policy is formed.

Intelligence agency leaders are required to inform senior U.S. leadership of direct or indirect threats to the country, state, nation, and president. The CIA has the authority to conduct illegal operations in other countries.

With the active participation of the CIA and its extensive agents, coups d'état were carried out in a number of countries, leaders and politicians disliked by Washington were eliminated. In 1953, Iranian Prime Minister M. Mossadegh was overthrown and began the nationalization of oil production, which harmed American TNCs. A year later, J. Arbenz was removed from power in Guatemala, who tried to nationalize the lands belonging to United Fruits. In 1959, the head of the Ceylon government, S. Bandaranaike, was killed. In 1961, Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo P. Lumumba was overthrown and killed by CIA-backed rebels. Since that time, the CIA has repeatedly attempted to poison the leader of Cuba F. Castro and the leader of the Libyan revolution M. Gaddafi.

The victims of the American intelligence service and its mercenaries were the leaders of many countries who pursued policies contrary to the interests of American capital.

The further, the more the CIA borrowed the practice of the medieval Jesuits with their principle “the end justifies the means.” 1970s marked by a considerable number of high-profile scandals related to the CIA's participation in drug trafficking and illegal arms trafficking. The proceeds went to finance bloody dictatorial pro-American regimes in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Afghanistan.

The large-scale activities of the CIA against the USSR, on which billions of dollars were spent, are described in the book “CIA against the USSR” by N. Yakovlev, which has gone through several reprints in many languages.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the CIA, oddly enough, did not curtail its activities; its budget increased, which indicates that the CIA was fighting not with communism, but with Russia, and while Russia exists, it is too early for it to calm down.

Like any bureaucratic structure, the CIA is becoming less and less effective. A gigantic failure of the CIA was the tragedy of September 11, when not only the shopping center was attacked by terrorists, but also the Pentagon.

The Israeli Mossad or the Russian SVR, FSB and GRU are much more productive in terms of price-quality ratio. The CIA's annual budget, for example, is estimated at up to $30 billion, which exceeds Russia's entire military budget.

The CIA tried to compensate for its failures by searching for weapons mass destruction in Iraq. The CIA report became the basis for US aggression. What a shame it was when no weapon was found! The lack of intelligence and professionalism is compensated by cruelty. The CIA's "human rights activists" have slipped into the Middle Ages.

In 2005, a major scandal was caused by reports of the existence of of Eastern Europe secret CIA prisons where terrorist suspects are held. According to Swiss intelligence data released in November 2005, secret prisons are located in Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria. In June 2004, the British newspaper The Observer claimed that the Al-Tamara prison in Morocco, the Mulhaq al-Mazra prison in Egypt, as well as detention centers in Azerbaijan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, etc.

European human rights activists claimed that torture was used in both Al-Tamara and Mulhaq al-Mazr. The use of torture against a prisoner is officially permitted by the so-called. “enhanced interrogation technique” used since March 2002 at secret bases in Europe and Asia.

The main task of the CIA from the moment of its inception was active opposition to the Soviet Union and comprehensive subversive activities against the strategic enemy and its allies. With the direct participation of the US intelligence agency, the “velvet revolutions” in Eastern Europe, as well as the split of the Soviet Union in 1991, were planned and carried out.

The CIA developed and financed the change of power in many CIS republics through “color revolutions.” The Americans managed to fully implement this scenario in Yugoslavia, Georgia and Adjara, Ukraine and partially in Kyrgyzstan.

Excellent definition

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Created at the very beginning of the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency is rightfully the most famous of modern American intelligence agencies. In fact, how many non-specialists know what is hidden, for example, behind the abbreviations DIA or NSA? Everyone who has read or watched any American spy action movie at least once in their life has heard about the CIA.

However, the CIA's leading position in the US Intelligence Community is not determined by the fact that it is the largest or best-funded of its member organizations. It does not rank first either in terms of the number of employees or the size of its budget, second only to the NSA. The leading role of the CIA is that it coordinates the activities of all the numerous and varied American intelligence services. For this, in fact, President Truman created it at one time. The Director of the CIA reports directly to the President of the United States; in his position, he simultaneously holds the post of Director of Central Intelligence and in this capacity is actually the operational head of the Intelligence Community.

However, the CIA itself is a powerful organization engaged in collecting and processing intelligence data, recruiting agents and managing all US secret operations abroad.

Structure of the Central Intelligence Agency

Unlike the NSA, which strives for maximum secrecy and reacts painfully to any publications about itself, the CIA leadership, on the contrary, attaches great importance to informing the public about its activities, believing that a reasonable amount of publicity helps to increase the authority of its own intelligence service in the eyes of American citizens. Thanks to this “openness,” the structure of the CIA is known in more or less detail.

As already mentioned, unlike the heads of other American intelligence agencies, the director of the CIA is directly subordinate to the President of the United States and at the same time is the director of central intelligence, i.e. heads the US Intelligence Community and coordinates the intelligence activities of its member agencies.

As is known, the immediate predecessor of the CIA - the Central Intelligence Group (CRG), created in January 1946 - was largely paramilitary in nature, and all its leaders were representatives of the armed forces. The first two directors of the CIA were also military men. This was explained by the specifics of the moment, since most of the American intelligence units, whose activities were called upon to coordinate the new structure, belonged to the military. The first to break this “tradition” was the famous Allen Welsh Dulles, who became director of the CIA in February 1953 and held this post for 8 and a half years (a record that has not yet been surpassed by any of his successors). Since then, as a rule, civilians have been appointed heads of the CIA, although generals and admirals are occasionally appointed to this post. In general, the CIA is civilian in nature, and those of its employees who are military personnel are employed by the Ministry of Defense.

Under the National Security Act of 1947, the director of the CIA is appointed to his position by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. This post is currently held by George Tenet.

Since the CIA director also heads central intelligence, his direct subordinates are divided into two categories. Some of them are senior leaders of the CIA, the other part are heads of structures of the Intelligence Community, who are not CIA employees. The latter have already been discussed in the chapter on the Intelligence Community.

As already stated, special position is occupied by the deputy (in fact, 1st deputy) director of the CIA, who replaces his boss in both of his guises. According to the amendment to the National Security Act of 1947, passed by Congress in April 1953, he, like the director, is appointed to the position by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The 1st Deputy assists the Director in directing the CIA and the Intelligence Community and deputizes in case of absence, illness, etc. This position is currently held by John McLaughlin.

In addition to the director and first deputy, the leadership of the Central Intelligence Agency includes:

Inspector General. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Reports only to the Director and 1st Deputy Director of the CIA. Heads the Office of the Inspector General, which conducts disciplinary reviews and official investigations activities of CIA units. The Inspector General's Office has its own budget and autonomous (within the CIA) personnel apparatus. The current CIA Inspector General is L. Britt Snider.

General Counsel. Pursuant to the Intelligence Powers Act Amendment of 1997, he is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Reports only to the Director and 1st Deputy Director of the CIA. He is the director's legal advisor on all matters relating to the legal activities of the CIA. Heads the Office of the General Counsel, whose employees ensure that department employees comply with the Constitution and laws, the criminal code, as well as applicable rules and regulations. Robert McNamara is currently serving as general counsel and has approximately 90 lawyers in his department.

Executive Director. This position is currently held by A.B. Krongard. Appointed director of the CIA. He is the third person in the management hierarchy. Provides day-to-day management of the CIA and chairs the Executive Council, which consists of five officials responsible for the following:

Finance,

Information Support,

Internal Security Service,

Human resources,

Global support.

Thus, the members of the Executive Council, to whom the functions of the Administrative Directorate, liquidated in 2001, were transferred, head the support services designed to provide the CIA's operational and analytical units with everything they need for their arduous work in the field of protecting American democracy.

All structures of the Central Intelligence Agency are operationally subordinate to the executive director, with the exception of those directly subordinate to the director of the CIA.

Three deputy directors heading separate directorates:

deputy Director of Intelligence, currently Winston Wiley;

deputy Director of Science and Technology, until recently Joanne Isham, but was replaced by Donald Kerr on August 3, 2001;

deputy Director of Operations, currently James Pavitt.

The CIA headquarters is located in the small town of Langley, Virginia, located near Washington. On October 20, 1998, by decree of President Clinton, it was named the George W. Bush Intelligence Center. On April 26, 1999, a solemn ceremony was held on this occasion, which was attended by CIA employees, senior officials of the American administration, former directors and deputy directors of the CIA, as well as the hero of the occasion himself - ex-president USA George Bush with his wife Barbara, family members and friends.

Of course, such a high honor is given to George W. Bush not so much as the former director of the CIA, who held this post for a year, but as the president under whom the United States won a complete and final victory in the Cold War. In a letter from President Clinton, read by CIA Director John Tenet during his speech at the ceremony, this was stated quite clearly:

"Dear George!

I want to join the men and women of the Intelligence Community - and all Americans - in welcoming you as our nation decides to rename the Central Intelligence Agency complex the George W. Bush Intelligence Center.

When you took office as Director of Central Intelligence in January 1976, the nation had just experienced one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Many Americans have lost faith in government. Many asked whether the CIA should continue to exist.

As a director, you have done a lot. You have restored morale and discipline to the Department while publicly emphasizing the importance of intelligence to national security. You have also restored American confidence in the CIA and the rest of the Intelligence Community.

Of course, today we honor you not only as a former director: during your lifetime of service to America, you served it not only as the head of the Intelligence Community, but also as the President, as the main user of intelligence. As President, you stood for American leadership around the world - leadership for freedom and democracy, peace and prosperity.

As you know, as president, I repeatedly turned to you for your wise advice, which was extremely useful to me. And I have been well served by the talented and competent members of the organizations that make up the Intelligence Community, which you have done so much to preserve and strengthen.

On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank you for your patriotism and leadership, and I want to convey to you my warmest congratulations on receiving this tribute.

Sincerely, Bill Clinton."

Well, one can only envy the Americans - they know how to pay tribute to their former leaders for their contribution to the greatness and prosperity of the United States, instead of spitting on their memory in a revealing frenzy, as has been customary in our country in recent decades.

However, let's return to the story about the CIA headquarters. As you know, in comparison with the harsh order of the USSR (and even today's Russia), the American approach to issues of secrecy looks a little frivolous. It is not surprising that some Russian readers have erroneous ideas about this. In particular, that the CIA residence in Langley is accessible to outside visitors and that excursions are almost organized there for onlookers from the street. In fact, American openness to secrecy has its limits. In particular, only those who are required to do so due to their duty can enter the CIA headquarters. However, open American sources allow us to describe it in sufficient detail.

First of all, it should be said that the Central Intelligence Agency complex in Langley consists of two buildings - the old and the new. The decision to build a CIA residence in Langley was made by President Truman, but this idea was put into practice during Eisenhower's presidency. The building was designed in the mid-1950s by the New York firm of Harrison and Abramovich, which had previously designed the UN building in New York. The first stone of its foundation was laid on November 3, 1959, and construction was completed in November 1963. The building is made of concrete and resembles a university campus in its appearance. The usable area of ​​its premises is 1,400,000 square feet.

The assembly hall building was also built along with it. It is a free-standing dome-shaped structure connected to the old headquarters building by an underground corridor. Its 7,000 square foot auditorium seats 650 people.

The new CIA headquarters building was designed in the early 1980s. Detroit architectural and engineering firm Smith, Hinchman and Grylls. Construction began in May 1984. The foundation stone was laid on November 1, 1985 by US Vice President George W. Bush. Occupancy of the new building began in June 1988, and by March 1991 it was completely completed. The new building is a steel and glass structure. It is adjacent to the western facade of the old building and consists of two six-story towers connected by a four-story internal building. Its usable area is 1,100,000 square feet.

As you approach the CIA complex, you can see three monuments. At the main entrance to the old building there is a copy of the statue of Nathan Hale, installed in 1973, the original of which was made by the famous American sculptor of the early 20th century Bela Lyon Pratt for the state of Connecticut. Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War captain in the American Army, was captured and hanged by the British in 1776 while on a reconnaissance mission.

At the northeast corner of the new building is the sculpture “Kryptos,” made by James Sanborn, which is a kind of stele in the form of a paper scroll on which encrypted text is carved. Finally, at the southwest entrance to the CIA there is a composition dedicated to the fall of the Berlin Wall, unveiled on December 18, 1992 and symbolizing the US victory in the Cold War.

Engraved on the wall of the main lobby of the old building is a saying from the Bible:

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Gospel of John. 8, 32).

It should be noted that this statement looks rather ambiguous, especially if you look at the context from which it is taken:

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him: If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

However, according to the official version, this quote “characterizes the role of intelligence in a free society.”

In the same lobby, on one of the walls is the “Book of Fame” - a memorial plaque on which the memory of CIA employees who died in the line of duty is immortalized: their names are listed in chronological order in a column, and in memory of those who still remains classified (more than half of them), the asterisks have simply been knocked out. The author of the memorial is sculptor Harold Vogel.

Other outstanding employees of the Department have not been forgotten either. In the same foyer is a statue of Major General William Donovan by sculptor Larry Luedtke and a bas-relief of Allen Dulles. A bust of Donovan is also installed in the assembly hall. In addition, in one of the two corridors leading from the old building to the new one, oil portraits of all the directors of the Agency are hung, from Donovan, who headed the predecessor of the CIA, OSS, to the penultimate director, John Deitch. There is no portrait of current director George Tenet yet.

The main part of the CIA structure is made up of three directorates.

The Intelligence Directorate processes and analyzes intelligence information received from various sources and prepares reports based on it for the President, the National Security Council and Congress, as well as for members of the US Intelligence Community. In other words, this directorate is the analytical body of the CIA. The number of its employees is estimated at 4 thousand.

After the liquidation of the Warsaw Pact and the subsequent collapse of the USSR, the “image of the enemy” in the eyes of American voters faded significantly. That is, of course, Russia remains a “source of evil” even without communists, but this “evil” has clearly shrunk in size and, as a result, has become less frightening. As a result, voices began to be heard in the United States about the need to reduce the activities of intelligence services and, accordingly, their funding. Indeed, from 1991 to 1997, the budget of the American intelligence community decreased every year.

As part of these trends, in 1994, then-CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence Douglas J. McEachin created a commission to reorganize and downsize his directorate. The commission worked for three years, after which, in 1997, a radical reorganization of the Intelligence Directorate actually took place. True, at the same time the head of the Intelligence Directorate also changed - he became John I. McLaughlin. It is unknown whether there was a reduction in personnel. Even if it was, then, since the budget of the intelligence community began to increase again starting in 1998, in subsequent years these personnel losses were likely to be more than compensated for. But the restructuring of the Intelligence Directorate was indeed serious. If before 1997 it had five territorial departments, now there are three: the Russia and Europe departments were merged, and the Africa and Latin America department was divided between two other departments. As a result, the Directorate currently has:

Department of Russia and Europe;

Middle East, South Asia and Africa Division;

Asia Pacific and Latin America Division1.

In addition to the territorial departments, the Intelligence Directorate currently includes:

Department of Transnational Problems. Engaged in the analysis of various issues that go beyond the boundaries of a single country or region and, as a rule, belong to one of four main groups: weapons, foreign technologies, economic security, social conflicts. Among these issues, the following can be particularly highlighted.

Study of foreign weapons, especially missile systems, their technical characteristics and the impact that their appearance will have on political stability and the position of US military forces in the relevant region.

Examine foreign advances in information technology and telecommunications to protect U.S. national infrastructure from possible attacks and prevent unwanted technological surprises.

Examine the state of international energy resources, trade and finance to assist US officials responsible for American energy stability and the security of international financial markets.

Assessment of the situation in the “hot spots” of the planet: the food situation, refugee flows, etc., so that the subsequent intervention of American “peacekeepers” can be planned.

Expertise in criminal activities such as money laundering, arms trafficking, foreign smuggling and sanctions violations.

Long-term strategic assessments of regional military, economic, and political dynamics and their impact on American global interests.

Political Support Department (created in 1998). Ensures the delivery of intelligence information to senior US officials, as well as to agencies responsible for American security. The first of the department's main "clients" is the President's Analytical Support Staff, whose employees, in turn, prepare three written reviews daily and, again daily, conduct intelligence briefings for the President, Vice President and others the country's top officials responsible for national security.

The department's second major client is the CIA operations center. It analyzes incoming information around the clock to identify signs of impending crisis situations threatening the national security of the United States and immediately informing the CIA leadership about this.

In addition, the political support department contains a small staff that checks the quality of the directorate's analytical "products".

Advanced Analytics Department. Created at the end of 1996 as a joint department of the intelligence and scientific and technical directorates. Supervisor - Susan Gordon (Fall 1997). Acquires, installs and upgrades hardware and software, as well as introducing new mathematical methods, providing CIA analysts with the computing resources necessary for their work. In particular, in 1987, the latest CRAY supercomputer was installed in the Intelligence Directorate.

Support Services Department. Supports and develops information and application systems, provides other divisions of the directorate with maps, equipment for audio and video recording, and provides publishing services. Also provides training and consultations on information systems, software, etc.

Requirements Gathering and Evaluation Headquarters. Sets tasks for intelligence collectors. Responsible for ensuring that agencies that obtain intelligence information of all types - be it photographic, electronic or human intelligence - collect exactly the information that intelligence directorate analysts need. Also prepares various reviews, information releases, etc. for the directorate.

Council for filling intelligence positions. Created in 1997 with the aim of ensuring a high level of training of the Directorate’s personnel. Works closely with directorate leaders and plans to fill future vacancies by attracting new employees, as well as training and promoting existing ones.

An important part of the council's work is improving the skills of intelligence personnel. He has developed a professional development program for all employees of the directorate. Employees are trained in the following courses:

political intelligence;

military intelligence;

economic intelligence;

scientific, technical and military-industrial intelligence;

collection of information;

studying foreign leaders;

information systems and services;

production support;

administrative support;

pattern recognition;

management.

The structure of the Intelligence Directorate also includes three centers, created at different times under the director of the CIA and performing the tasks of coordinating efforts in the relevant area not only of the CIA, but also of the entire US Intelligence Community:

Center on International Crime and Drugs. In April 1989, the Counternarcotics Center (CNC) was created under the director of the CIA. In 1994, the functions of this center were expanded and it also began to deal with international organized crime, receiving a new name, but maintaining the same abbreviation (Crime and Narcotics Center, CNC). The center is staffed by representatives of all three CIA directorates, in addition, representatives of most of the Intelligence Community structures involved in the fight against crime and narcotics directly participate in its work.

Center for the Environment (established in 1997). Coordinates all Intelligence Community activities related to environmental issues. Naturally, the political, economic and scientific aspects of these problems are analyzed insofar as they affect American interests.

As part of its activities, the center:

assesses international crimes against the environment;

assists U.S. officials in negotiations of environmental treaties, evaluates foreign environmental policies;

assesses the role played by the state of the environment in the country under study, regional conflict, etc.;

supports efforts on international arena other US government agencies in the field of environmental protection;

provides environmental data to private US agencies.

Center for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (established in September 1991). Engaged in the analysis of technical aspects of weapons and space systems of other countries, analysis of information on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, nuclear energy, tactical and weapons systems general purpose, air defense systems, policy in the field of scientific and technological progress. Coordinates the activities of the entire Intelligence Community on these issues.

At one time, the Intelligence Directorate also included a department for analyzing information about foreign leaders, whose task was to provide the US leadership with characteristics of foreign political leaders and organizations as needed. However, this department is not included in the new structure of the Intelligence Directorate posted on the official CIA website on the Internet. Whether this means that the unit fell victim to the 1997 reorganization, or whether there are certain limits to transparency within the CIA, remains an open question.

The Scientific and Technical Directorate conducts research and development in the field of technical means of collecting information, maintains equipment intended purpose and exchanges information with the largest research centers in the United States.

The structure of the directorate includes:

Department of research and development of technical systems. Engaged in fundamental and applied scientific and technical research and development in the most various areas- communications, sensors, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, computer modeling, etc.

Interception department. Develops, operates and maintains the latest equipment necessary to perform information collection and analysis tasks with maximum efficiency.

Technical support department. Carries out research, development and production of various operational equipment - means of secret writing, eavesdropping, covert photography, coding and decryption.

Information support service for foreign radio broadcasting. Manages a network of radio posts that listen and record radio and television broadcasts.

The Directorate of Operations (called the Directorate of Planning until 1972) is the most secretive of the CIA directorates. At one time it was so secret that the photograph of its leader could not even be printed. And today, on the official website of the CIA on the Internet, there are biographies of the CIA director and his deputies, but there is no biography of the CIA Deputy Director for Operations, only his last name is indicated - James L. Pavitt. However, this precaution is purely symbolic, as evidenced by the biography of Pavitt given in this book, obtained from open American sources.

The Operations Directorate solves problems related to the search and collection of information by human intelligence forces, organizes and carries out covert operations, counterintelligence support for intelligence and operational activities, and fights terrorism and drug trafficking. Thus, the Directorate of Operations is the "extractive" and the Directorate of Intelligence the "processing" agency of the CIA. Although under American law the CIA is not allowed to operate in the United States, these rules provide an exception for cases where information comes voluntarily from US citizens or organizations.

According to unofficial data, the Operations Directorate employs about 8 thousand people. Its structure includes:

Foreign Intelligence Department. Monitors the operational activities of regional departments, assesses the reliability of information sources and develops practical recommendations for operational units. Includes offices responsible for geographic regions. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union there were six such branches:

USSR and Eastern Europe,

Western Europe,

Latin America,

East Asia,

Middle East,

In turn, each department has sections responsible for specific countries.

Counterintelligence Center (established in 1988). Ensures the security of intelligence activities of CIA residencies, carries out undercover penetration into foreign intelligence services, and works with defectors.

Covert Operations Department.

Department technical services. Responsible for technical support of covert operations. During presidential visits outside the United States, it protects communication channels.

Financial planning department. Provides planning and financing for all activities of the directorate.

Center for Combating Terrorism (created in 1986 on the initiative of then US Vice President George H. W. Bush). The main goal of the Center is to suppress terrorist acts at the earliest possible stage. To achieve this, methods such as provoking splits within terrorist groups, weakening their infrastructure, cooperation with friendly intelligence services of foreign states, and pursuing and capturing terrorist leaders located abroad are used. The tasks of the Center include:

Developing and supporting large-scale counterterrorism programs with intelligence and limiting the capabilities of international terrorist groups and the states that support them;

compiling, based on intelligence data, all types of analytical reviews on groups and states responsible for international terrorism;

coordination of anti-terrorism activities of CIA units, as well as other organizations included in the Intelligence Community.

During so-called “anti-terrorism operations,” such as the current war in Afghanistan, the Center must provide direct intelligence support to participating United States military units.

The Chief of the Center's status is that of Special Assistant to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Counter-Terrorism Affairs.

However, on September 11, 2001, the Center's employees were clearly not up to the task, failing to either prevent the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, or at least warn about them.

Until recently, the CIA also had a fourth directorate - the Administrative Directorate. He was involved in the selection, training and retraining of personnel, ensured the security of CIA personnel and facilities, provided encrypted communications with residencies, and was responsible for supplies, finance and medical care. The number of its personnel was estimated at 5 thousand people. Its structure included:

Human Resources Department,

Department of training and retraining of personnel,

Security Department,

Financial department,

Information storage and retrieval department,

Department of computer technology,

Communications department

Medical department,

Maintenance department.

However, in June 2001, the Administrative Directorate was disbanded, and the heads of its divisions were reassigned directly to the executive director of the CIA.

In addition to directorates, the CIA structure includes:

Financial Auditor's Department. Controls all financial activities of the CIA.

Public Relations Department. Responsible for working with the media, politicians and the general public, not only the CIA, but the entire Intelligence Community as a whole. The Division Director reports directly to the Director of the CIA and serves as his advisor on these matters.

The department consists of two divisions: media relations and public relations.

The Media Relations Branch is responsible for bringing to the American public "accurate information about the CIA, its mission, and the contributions of Agency employees to national security." In other words, his task is to create a favorable image of the CIA in the American media. To achieve this, department employees work daily with journalists, prepare and distribute press releases and other similar materials. Maintaining the CIA website on the Internet is also part of their functions.

At the same time, the department is analyzing publications and public statements about the CIA in the American and foreign media, reporting the results to the Director of the CIA and other heads of the Agency. In this case, special attention is paid to those publications that may jeopardize the exposure of CIA agents.

Employees of the public relations department are responsible for responding to letters, faxes, and phone calls, lecture on the CIA and its role in the Intelligence Community at colleges, universities, other institutions and organizations, etc.

Congressional Relations Office. As you can easily guess from its name, it is responsible for the CIA’s contacts with American legislators. His boss also reports directly to the CIA director.

Center for Intelligence Studies. He studies the history of the CIA. It publishes a quarterly secret journal on this topic, an unclassified yearbook "Studies in Intelligence", as well as various monographs, collections of documents, etc., and organizes conferences and seminars. The Head of the Center reports directly to the Executive Director of the CIA.

The total number of CIA employees is 16-18 thousand people. The annual budget of the CIA is estimated at 3-4 billion dollars. In addition, a significant portion of the CIA's spending goes through classified budget items of the Department of Defense.

The CIA has a number of intelligence schools to train its agents. The main one is located at the US military base Camp Peary near Williamsburg (Virginia). Its students are career CIA employees and undergo 18 weeks of training in “operational intelligence,” i.e. master the techniques of espionage. In particular, they are taught to secretly open and reseal mail envelopes, take covert photographs, use various disguises, etc. Those who complete the courses, as a rule, receive an appointment to the Operations Directorate.

Another CIA training center is located in Harvey Point (North Carolina). Some Department staff receive training in educational departments US special forces located in Panama or in remote areas of the United States.

CIA structure

Unlike the NSA, which strives for maximum secrecy and reacts painfully to any publications about itself, the CIA leadership, on the contrary, attaches great importance to informing the public about its activities, believing that a reasonable amount of publicity helps to increase the authority of its own intelligence service in the eyes of American citizens. Thanks to this “openness,” the structure of the CIA is known in more or less detail.

As already mentioned, unlike the heads of other American intelligence agencies, CIA director reports directly to the President of the United States. Until 2005, he was also director of central intelligence, i.e., he headed the US Intelligence Community and was involved in coordinating the intelligence activities of its member departments.

As is known, the immediate predecessor of the CIA - the Central Intelligence Group (CRG), created in January 1946 - was largely paramilitary in nature, and all its leaders were representatives of the armed forces. The first two directors of the CIA were also military men. This was explained by the specifics of the moment, since most of the American intelligence units, whose activities were called upon to coordinate the new structure, belonged to the military. The first to break this tradition was the famous Allen Welsh Dulles, who became director of the CIA in February 1953 and held this post for eight and a half years (a record that has not yet been surpassed by any of his successors). Since then, as a rule, civilians have been appointed heads of the CIA, although generals and admirals are occasionally appointed to this post. In general, the CIA is civilian in nature, and those of its employees who are military personnel are employed by the Ministry of Defense.

Under the National Security Act of 1947, the director of the CIA is appointed to his position by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The current position is Leon Edward Panetta, who has held this position since February 13, 2009.

In addition to the director, the CIA's senior management includes:

First Deputy Director(Deputy Director), according to the amendment to the National Security Act of 1947, adopted by Congress in April 1953, like the director, is appointed to the position by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The First Deputy assists the Director in the management of the Office and deputizes in the event of absence, illness, etc. The current position is Michael J. Morell, who has held this position since May 6, 2010.

Assistant to the First Deputy Director(Associate Deputy Director). This position was created on July 5, 2006, replacing a previously existing position. executive director. The Assistant to the First Deputy Director is the third person in the hierarchy of the Directorate and is responsible for the day-to-day management of CIA activities. This post is currently held by Stephanie O'Sullivan, who was appointed to the position in December 2009.

Chief of staff. Subordinate to him:

Executive Secretariat;

Analytical Support Team;

Executive Support Staff;

Protocol department.

The CIA headquarters structures include:

General Counsel(General Counsel). Pursuant to the Intelligence Powers Act Amendment of 1997, he is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Reports only to the director and first deputy

director of the CIA. Serves as legal advisor to the director on all matters relating to the activities of the CIA. Heads the Office of the General Counsel, whose staff ensures that department employees comply with the Constitution and laws, as well as applicable rules and regulations. Currently, this department employs about 90 lawyers.

Congressional Relations Office(Congressional Affairs). As you might guess, he is responsible for the CIA’s contacts with American legislators.

Public Relations Department(Public Affairs). Responsible for working with the media, politicians and the general public. Consists of two divisions: media relations and public relations.

The Media Relations Branch is responsible for bringing to the American public "accurate information about the CIA, its mission, and the contributions of Agency personnel to national security." In other words, his task is to create a favorable image of the CIA in the American media. To achieve this, department employees work daily with journalists, prepare and distribute press releases and other similar materials. Maintaining the CIA website on the Internet is also part of their functions.

In addition, the department analyzes publications and public statements about the CIA in American and foreign media, reporting the results to the Director of the CIA and other heads of the Agency. In this case, special attention is paid to those publications that may jeopardize the exposure of CIA agents.

Public Affairs staff respond to Department letters, faxes, telephone calls, and give lectures about the CIA and its role in the Intelligence Community at colleges, universities, other institutions and organizations, and the like.

Inspector General. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Reports directly to the Director and First Deputy Director of the CIA. He heads the Office of the Inspector General, which conducts disciplinary reviews and internal investigations of the activities of CIA units. The Inspector General's Office has its own budget and autonomous (within the CIA) personnel apparatus. John L. Helgerson served as CIA Inspector General from April 2002 to March 2009. This post is currently vacant.

Assistant Director for Military Affairs(Associate Director for Military Affairs).

Head of financial service(Chief Financial Officer). Controls all financial activities of the CIA.

Head of information service(Chief Information Officer).

Head of HR Department(Chief of Human Resources).

Operations center(Operations Center). Analyzes incoming information around the clock in order to identify signs of impending crisis situations that threaten US national security and immediately inform the CIA leadership about this.

Strategic Management Department(Strategy Management).

Division of Diversity Plans and Programs(Diversity Plans and Programs). Implements the ideology of political correctness, tolerance and multiculturalism that is dominant in the West today, creating conditions for the recruitment and promotion of representatives of national and other minorities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Division(Equal Employment Opportunity). Its functions largely coincide with the functions of the previous department (in most other US intelligence agencies these two structures are combined). Ensures that CIA employees are not subject to any discrimination.

Department of Political and Corporate Coordination(Policy and Corporate Coordination).

Foreign Intelligence Relations Department(Foreign Intelligence Relationships).

National Intelligence Open Source Center(DNI Open Source Center).

The CIA headquarters is located in the small town of Langley, Virginia, located near Washington. On October 20, 1998, by decree of President Clinton, it was named the George W. Bush Intelligence Center. On April 26, 1999, a solemn ceremony was held on this occasion, which was attended by CIA employees, senior officials of the American administration, former directors and deputy directors of the CIA, as well as the hero of the occasion himself - former US President George H. W. Bush, together with his wife Barbara, members family and friends.

Of course, such a high honor is given to George W. Bush not so much as the former director of the CIA, who held this post for a year, but as the president under whom the United States won a complete and final victory in the Cold War. A letter from President Clinton, read by CIA Director George Tenet during his speech at the ceremony, stated this quite clearly:

“Dear George!

I want to join the men and women of the Intelligence Community—and all Americans—in welcoming you as our nation decides to rename the Central Intelligence Agency complex the “George Bush Intelligence Center.”

When you took office as Director of Central Intelligence in January 1976, the nation had just experienced one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Many Americans have lost faith in government. Many asked whether the CIA should continue to exist.

As a director, you have done a lot. You have restored morale and discipline to the Department while publicly emphasizing the importance of intelligence to national security. You have also restored American confidence in the CIA and the rest of the Intelligence Community.

Of course, today we honor you not only as a former director: during your lifetime of service to America, you served it not only as the head of the Intelligence Community, but also as the President, as the main user of intelligence. As President, you stood for American leadership around the world - leadership for freedom and democracy, peace and prosperity.

As you know, as president, I repeatedly turned to you for your wise advice, which was extremely useful to me. And I have been well served by the talented and competent members of the organizations that make up the Intelligence Community, which you have done so much to preserve and strengthen.

On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank you for your patriotism and leadership, and I want to convey to you my warmest congratulations on receiving this tribute.

Sincerely, Bill Clinton."

Well, one can only envy the Americans - they know how to pay tribute to their former leaders for their contribution to the greatness and prosperity of the United States, instead of spitting on their memory in a frenzy of revelation, as has been customary in our country in recent decades.

However, let's return to the story about the CIA headquarters. Compared to the harsh rules of the USSR (and even today's Russia), the American approach to issues of secrecy looks a little frivolous. It is not surprising that some Russian readers have erroneous ideas about this. In particular, that the CIA residence in Langley is accessible to outside visitors and that excursions are almost organized there for onlookers from the street. In fact, American openness to secrecy has its limits. In particular, only those who are required to do so due to their duty can enter the CIA headquarters. However, open American sources allow us to describe it in sufficient detail.

The CIA complex at Langley consists of two buildings - an old one and a new one. The decision to build a CIA residence in Langley was made by President Truman, but this idea was put into practice during Eisenhower's presidency. The building was designed in the mid-1950s. the New York firm of Harrison and Abramovich, which had previously completed the design of the UN building in New York. The first stone of its foundation was laid on November 3, 1959, and construction was completed in November 1963. The building is made of concrete and resembles a university campus in appearance. The usable area of ​​its premises is 1,400,000 square feet.

The assembly hall building was also built along with it. It is a free-standing domed structure connected to the old headquarters building by an underground corridor. Its 7,000 square foot auditorium seats 650 people.

The new CIA headquarters building was designed in the early 1980s. Detroit architectural and engineering firm Smith, Hinchman and Grylls. Construction began in May 1984. The foundation stone was laid on November 1, 1985 by then US Vice President George H. W. Bush. Occupancy of the new building began in June 1988 and was completely completed by March 1991. The new building is a steel and glass structure. It is adjacent to the western facade of the old building and consists of two six-story towers connected by a four-story internal building. Its usable area is 1,100,000 square feet.

As you approach the CIA complex, you can see three monuments. At the main entrance to the old building there is a copy of the statue of Nathan Hale, installed in 1973, the original of which was made by the famous American sculptor of the early 20th century Bela Lyon Pratt for the state of Connecticut. Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War captain in the American Army, was captured and hanged by the British in 1776 while on a reconnaissance mission.

At the northeast corner of the new building there is a sculpture “Kryptos”, made by James Sanborn, which is a kind of stele in the form of a paper scroll on which encrypted text is carved. Finally, at the southwest entrance to the CIA there is a composition dedicated to the fall of the Berlin Wall, opened on December 18, 1992 and symbolizing the US victory in the Cold War.

Engraved on the wall of the main lobby of the old building is a saying from the Bible:

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Gospel of John. 8, 32).

According to the official version, this quote “characterizes the role of intelligence in a free society.”

In the same lobby is the "Memorial Wall" commemorating CIA officers killed in the line of duty. The author of the memorial is sculptor Harold Vogel. Each deceased employee is marked with an asterisk embossed on the wall (as of June 1, 2009, there were 90 such stars), and their names are recorded in chronological order in the “Book of Memory” located nearby. However, not all of them - many of them remain classified. As then-CIA Director Michael Hayden said at a memorial ceremony on May 21, 2007: “ Among those remembered here are 33 people who connected their lives with the CIA, whom we mention only within these walls. They showed unparalleled dedication to duty, working to protect Americans without expecting public recognition or applause for doing so.».

Other outstanding employees of the Department have not been forgotten either. In the same foyer is a statue of Major General William Donovan by sculptor Larry Luedtke and a bas-relief of Allen Dulles. A bust of Donovan is also installed in the assembly hall. In addition, in one of the two corridors leading from the old building to the new, oil portraits of all the directors of the CIA are hung.

The main part of the structure of the Central Intelligence Agency consists of:

Intelligence Directorate(Directorate of Intelligence);

National Secret Service(National Clandestine Service);

(Directorate of Science and Technology);

Directorate of Support(Directorate of Support).

Intelligence Directorate has been in existence since November 1952. The current Director of Intelligence is Fran P. Moore, appointed to this position on May 6, 2010.

As an analytical body, the Intelligence Directorate processes and analyzes intelligence information received from various sources and prepares reports based on it for the President, the National Security Council and Congress, as well as for members of the US Intelligence Community. The number of its employees is estimated at 4 thousand.

After the liquidation of the Warsaw Pact and the subsequent collapse of the USSR, the “image of the enemy” in the eyes of American voters faded significantly. Of course, Russia remains a “source of evil” even without communists, but this “evil” has clearly shrunk in size and, as a result, has become less frightening. It is not surprising that voices began to be heard in the United States about the need to reduce the scope of the activities of the intelligence services and, accordingly, their funding. From 1991 to 1997, the budget of the American intelligence community decreased every year.

As part of these trends, in 1994, then-CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence Douglas J. MacEachin created a commission to reorganize and downsize his directorate. The commission worked for three years, after which, in 1997, a radical reorganization of the Intelligence Directorate actually took place. True, its head also changed - he became John Edward McLaughlin.

If before 1997 the Intelligence Directorate had five territorial departments, now there are three: the Russia and Europe departments were merged, and the Africa and Latin America department was divided between two other departments. The result was:

Department of Russian and European Studies;

Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies;

Department of Asia-Pacific and Latin American Studies.

However, the “dark days” soon passed. Since 1998, funding for American intelligence agencies has been steadily increasing, which makes it possible to create new units and expand personnel.

Today the structure of the Intelligence Directorate is as follows:

Department of Russian and European Studies(Office of Russian and European Analysis) covers countries that have long been of primary importance to the United States, either as allies or adversaries, and are likely to continue to occupy a key place in American national security policy. The department's staff includes both generalist analysts and experts who specialize in issues ranging from ethnic conflict in the Balkans to US-Russian relations:

The department's employees had a hand in the most important events of the end of the last century, such as the Solidarity movement in Poland, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the destruction of the Soviet Union, the expansion of NATO and numerous wars in the former Yugoslavia.

And today the work of the department is no less exciting. He provides intelligence analysis and analytical support to arms control negotiations, analyzes the potential benefits and challenges of EU enlargement, and actively studies the political and economic landscape Central Asia- areas of growing US interest.

Iraq Studies Division(Office of Iraq Analysis). Its employees also have many achievements to their credit. As intelligence analysts, they were involved in events such as the capture of Saddam Hussein and many of his senior officials, the suppression of Iraqi "insurgents", and the holding of the "first free elections" in occupied Iraq. Many members of the department have advanced degrees in Arabic studies and speak Arabic fluently.

Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies(Office of Near Eastern and South Asian Analysis). His areas of interest include the states of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the countries of South Asia - India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Department of Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa Studies(Office of Asian Pacific, Latin American, and African Analysis). Covers the rest of the world.

Center on International Crime and Drugs(Crime and Narcotics Center). In April 1989, the Counternarcotics Center (CNC) was created under the director of the CIA. In 1994, the functions of this center were expanded, and it also began to deal with international organized crime, receiving a new name, but maintaining the same abbreviation (Crime and Narcotics Center, CNC). Representatives of most Intelligence Community structures involved in the fight against crime and drugs directly participate in the work of the Center.

Analytical group of the Counterintelligence Center(Counterintelligence Center). The Counterintelligence Center itself is part of the National Secret Service.

Analytical Group of the Information Operations Center(Information Operations Center). Assesses foreign threats to U.S. computer systems, especially those that support infrastructure vital to U.S. security.

Political support department(Office of Policy Support). Created in 1998. Ensures the delivery of intelligence information to senior US officials, as well as to agencies responsible for American security. The department's first major client is the President's Analytical Support Staff, which in turn prepares three written briefs daily and, again daily, provides intelligence briefings to the President, Vice President, and other senior officials. persons of the country responsible for national security. The department's second major client is the CIA Operations Center.

Strategy and Analysis Department(Office of Collection Strategies and Analysis). Sets challenges for intelligence gatherers. Responsible for ensuring that agencies that obtain information of all types - be it photographic, electronic or human intelligence - collect exactly the information that Intelligence Directorate analysts need. Also prepares various reviews, information releases, etc. for the directorate.

In addition, the department checks the quality of analytical “products” issued by the Intelligence Directorate. Previously, these functions were performed by a division of the political support department.

Terrorism Research Department(The Office of Terrorism Analysis). It is the analytical division of the Counterterrorism Center, part of the National Secret Service.

Department of Transnational Issues(Office of Transnational Issues). Engaged in the analysis of various issues that go beyond the boundaries of a single country or region and usually relate to one of four main groups: weapons, foreign technologies, economic security, social conflicts. Among these issues, the following can be particularly highlighted:

The study of foreign weapons, especially missile systems, their technical characteristics and the impact that their appearance will have on the political stability and position of the American armed forces in the relevant region.

Examine foreign advances in information technology and telecommunications to protect U.S. national infrastructure from possible attacks and prevent unwanted technological surprises.

Examine the state of international energy resources, trade and finance to assist US officials responsible for American energy stability and the security of international financial markets.

Assessment of the situation in the “hot spots” of the planet: the food situation, refugee flows, etc., so that the subsequent intervention of American “peacekeepers” can be planned.

Expertise in criminal activities such as money laundering, arms trafficking, foreign smuggling and sanctions violations.

Long-term strategic assessments of regional military, economic, and political dynamics and their impact on American global interests.

Center for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Conventional Arms Control(Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation and Arms Control Center). Created in September 1991. Analyzes the technical aspects of weapons and space systems of other countries, analyzes information on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, nuclear energy, tactical and general-purpose weapon systems, air defense systems, and policy in the field of scientific and technological progress. Coordinates the activities of the entire Intelligence Community on these issues.

Corporate Resources Department(Office of Corporate Resources). Ensures the work of the Intelligence Directorate, dealing with the budget, concluding contracts, and distributing material, financial and human resources. When working with personnel, as it should be under conditions of the total dominance of liberal ideology, he is obliged to monitor compliance with equal employment opportunities and the implementation of “diversity programs.”

Sherman Kent School of Intelligence Analysis(Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis). It is part of the CIA University and carries out training and retraining of personnel of the Intelligence Directorate.

The basic analyst training course (Career Analyst Program), which aspiring Directorate employees take, includes learning the basic principles of analytical work, training in writing and oral speech- the future analyst must be able to competently write a report or give a concise and clear report. Counterintelligence issues, techniques for identifying disinformation, and other useful skills are also studied.

For experienced specialists and managers, the School provides numerous and varied advanced training courses. In addition, Directorate employees can take an evening course at one of the Washington universities without interrupting their work.

With the permission of his superiors, a CIA employee may, while remaining in service, undergo full-time study at a university, as well as receive an assignment to the National War College, or to one of the Army and Naval Colleges.

National Secret Service really is the most secret part CIA. Its predecessor, the Directorate of Plans, was created on August 1, 1952. On March 1, 1973, it was renamed the Directorate of Operations.

The Operations Directorate solved problems related to the search and collection of information by human intelligence forces, organized and carried out covert operations, counterintelligence support for intelligence and operational activities, and fought terrorism and drug trafficking.

Thus, if the Intelligence Directorate is engaged in the processing of intelligence information, then the Operations Directorate is engaged in its acquisition.

On October 13, 2005, the National Secret Service was created on the basis of the Operations Directorate. In addition to its previous functions, it is entrusted with the coordination of human intelligence carried out by all intelligence agencies from the Intelligence Community.

At one time, the number of employees of the Operations Directorate was estimated at 8 thousand people. After the US victory in the Cold War, it fell to 2 thousand, but is now increasing again.

The current director of the National Clandestine Service is John D. Bennett, who assumed this post on July 21, 2010. He has two deputies under his supervision, one of whom heads the Community HUMINT Coordination Center, and the other - all other structures of the National Secret Service, which include:

Nonproliferation Office(Counterproliferation Division). Engaged in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Center for Combating Terrorism(CounterTerrorism Center). Created in 1986 on the initiative of then US Vice President George H. W. Bush. The main goal of the Center is to suppress terrorist acts at the earliest possible stage. To achieve this, methods such as provoking splits within terrorist groups, weakening their infrastructure, cooperation with friendly intelligence services of foreign states, and pursuing and capturing terrorist leaders located abroad are used.

On September 11, 2001, the Center's employees were clearly not at their best, failing to either prevent the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, or even warn about them.

The tasks of the Center include:

Developing and supporting large-scale counterterrorism programs with intelligence and limiting the capabilities of international terrorist groups and the states that support them;

Compiling, based on intelligence data, all types of analytical reviews on groups and states responsible for international terrorism;

Coordination of anti-terrorism activities of CIA units, as well as other organizations within the Intelligence Community.

During so-called “anti-terrorism operations,” such as the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Center must provide direct intelligence support to participating units of the United States armed forces.

The head of the Center by his status is a special assistant to the director of the CIA for counter-terrorism issues.

Counterintelligence Center(Counterintelligence Center). Created in 1988. Ensures the security of intelligence activities of CIA residencies, carries out undercover penetration into foreign intelligence services, and works with defectors.

Regional and transnational directorates(Regional and Transnational Issues Divisions). Carry out intelligence activities and covert operations in relevant regions. The number and names of departments are classified. Before 1991 there were six of them:

USSR and Eastern Europe;

Western Europe;

Latin America;

East Asia;

Middle East;

Technical Support Office(Technology Support Divisions). Auxiliary services responsible for technical support of the activities of the National Secret Service.

Scientific and Technical Directorate(Directorate of Science and Technology). Established in 1963. Conducts research and development in the field of technical

means of collecting information, maintains equipment for specific purposes and exchanges information with the largest scientific centers in the United States. The current Director of Science and Technology is Glenn A. Gaffney, who was appointed to the position in December 2009.

The Directorate includes:

Center for Business and Resource Strategy(Business Strategies and Resources Center).

Technology Management Center(Center for Technology Management).

Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor(Chief Scientist).

Development Department(Development and Engineering).

Global Access Division(Global Access).

Project Directors(Mission Managers).

Special Activities Department(Special Activities).

Department of special types of communications(Special Communications Programs).

System Development and Analysis Department(Systems Engineering and Analysis).

Department of technical means of information collection(Technical Collection).

Technical Readiness Department(Technical Readiness).

Technical service(Technical Service).

Directorate of Support(Directorate of Support) is currently headed by John Pereira.

From the very beginning of its existence, the Central Intelligence Agency could not do without support services designed to provide the CIA's operational and analytical units with everything they needed for their arduous work in the field of protecting American democracy. Work with personnel, logistics, global communications, information services, work with finances, purchase of equipment and materials, security issues, medical services - all these tasks required the creation of appropriate structures.

For a long time, the CIA's support services were combined into the Directorate of Administration. He was involved in the selection, training and retraining of personnel, ensured the security of CIA personnel and facilities, provided encrypted communications with residencies, and was responsible for supplies, finance and medical care. The number of its personnel was estimated at 5 thousand people.

In June 2001, the Directorate of Administration was disbanded, and the heads of its divisions were reassigned directly to the executive director of the CIA. However, it soon became clear that this step was wrong. As a result, after some time, these structures were again united into the Support Directorate.

In a speech on December 16, 2009, CIA Director Leon Panetta called the Sustainment Directorate "the largest of the CIA directorates." Currently it includes:

Corporate Business Department(Corporate Businesses).

Global infrastructure(Global Infrastructure).

Global Services(Global Services).

Medical services(Medical Services).

Integration mission(Mission Integration).

Human Resources Department(Personnel Resources).

Security Department(Security).

In addition to directorates and services, the CIA structure includes Center for Intelligence Studies(Center for the Study of Intelligence), which studies the history of the CIA, publishes a quarterly secret journal on this topic, an unclassified yearbook “Studies in Intelligence”, as well as various monographs, collections of documents, etc. ., organizes conferences and seminars. The current director of the Center is Peter S. Usowski. He reports directly to the Assistant Principal Deputy Director of the CIA.

The total number of CIA employees is estimated at 18–20 thousand people, the annual budget of the CIA is over 4 billion dollars. In addition, a significant portion of the CIA's spending goes through classified budget items of the Department of Defense.

The CIA has a number of intelligence schools to train its agents. The main one is located at the US military base Camp Peary near Williamsburg (Virginia). Its students are career employees of the CIA and undergo 18 weeks of training in “operational intelligence,” that is, they master espionage techniques. In particular, they are taught to secretly open and reseal mail envelopes, take covert photographs, use various disguises, etc. Those who complete the courses, as a rule, are assigned to the National Secret Service.

Another CIA training center is located in Harvey Point (North Carolina). Some Department personnel receive training from US Special Forces training units located in Panama or in remote areas of the United States.