Why Is Secrecy Important in Intelligence?

The intelligence profession should be concerned about how we currently handle secrets. The whole purpose of intelligence is to give us an information advantage over our adversaries. Secrecy protects this advantage by keeping our opponents from knowing what we know.

What is secrecy intelligence?

The secrecy surrounding the intelligence-policy relationship means foreign policy blunders can, if needed, be blamed on false or misleading intelligence.

Does intelligence need to be secret?

Secrecy in intelligence is a virtue as well as a necessity. The sources of information and the methods by which information is gathered must remain unknown to the targets of intelligence. The extent of knowledge about an adversary has to be hidden as must the operations aimed at him.