Intelligence

From Secrets to Policy

“Mark Lowenthal’s Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy is a marvelous guide to the discipline’s concepts and theories, and it keeps getting better with each edition. It is nuanced and comprehensive without losing sight of the big picture–that is, the key points that every scholar and practitioner must understand when it comes to the real world of strategic intelligence. Whether as an intelligence analyst, a manager, an overseer on Capitol Hill, or an outside scholar, Lowenthal has been there, done that.  He brings a superb sense of realism and practicality into his book, while at the same time tapping into the most important scholarly research on the topic. Bravo!”

“Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy remains the standard by which all other intelligence studies textbooks should be evaluated. Each chapter covers its topic clearly and concisely, conveying the information within with just the right amount of detail; the sidebar boxes offer excellent topics for classroom discussion. The book is comprehensive and covers topics that are themselves each book worthy.”

“Lowenthal’s Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy is a comprehensive text which reflects current events and new developments in the field. It is able to introduce difficult to understand concepts in ways that students are readily able to comprehend.”

“Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy is incredibly informative, timely, well-written, and easily accessible by students and professionals alike. Mark Lowenthal starts by providing a baseline for understanding the role that "intelligence" plays in the operation of a government and its interactions with other countries. He then provides historical context for the development of the U.S. intelligence community. From there, we get a deep look into the practice of intelligence and the broad spectrum of roles with the intelligence community, from protecting our secrets and obtaining the secrets of others. The use of intelligence in formulating policy is also an essential element discussed here and, in a "post-Snowden" era, Lowenthal's discussions of accountability, ethics, and reform are very timely and insightful.”