Episode Details

Summary

Michael Collins joins Andrew to discuss the National Intelligence Council. Michael is the NIC’s current acting chair. 

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

• The role of the National Intelligence Council
• National Intelligence Officers and their work around the world
• The products of the NIC, including the Annual Threat Assessment
• The importance of Intelligence Diplomacy and objective analysis 

Reflections

• The power of collaboration
• Staying grounded and optimistic

And much, much more …

Quotes of the Week

“In the analytic product, the first paragraph says: Here's the bad thing. Second paragraph says: This is what the bad thing means for the United States. Third paragraph is: What can be done to stop the bad thing, or more importantly, to identify an opportunity. I have to be optimistic. If I weren't, I wouldn't be in this job.” – Michael Collins.

Resources 

SURFACE SKIM

*SpyCasts*

• Telling Americans About China (and Intelligence) with Sara Castro (2024)
• CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024)
• The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022)
• The National Intelligence University with its President Scott Cameron (2022)

*Beginner Resources*

• America’s Intelligence Community, Explained, Washington Post, YouTube (2014) [2 min. video]
• What is Intelligence Analysis and Why is It So Important? National American University (n.d.) [Short article]
• Members of the IC, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (n.d.) [List of agencies]

DEEPER DIVE

Primary Sources 

• 2024 Annual Threat Assessment (2024) 
• IC OSINT Strategy 2024-2026 (2024) 
• 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (2023)
• Updated Assessment of Anomalous Health Incidents (2023)
• Global Trends 2040 (2021)
• National Intelligence Estimates on Climate Change (2021)

*Wildcard Resource*

• This week’s guest shares a name with another intelligence professional: Michael Collins (1890-1922), a prominent leader of Irish independence. 
• You may remember this Michael Collins from his involvement in the 1916 Easter Rising, but did you