1. Covert Operations Chapter 9 ©2013, Taylor & Francis

2. Introduction The United States has been involved in covert, clandestine, and deception operations as well as plausible deniability since the American Revolution Covert action became the responsibility and the top priority of the CIA in 1947 ©2013, Taylor & Francis

3. Covert Operation An operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of, or permit plausible denial by, the sponsor Used to influence political, military, or economic conditions More extreme than diplomacy but less extreme than direct military action ©2013, Taylor & Francis

4. Clandestine Operation An operation sponsored or conducted by governmental departments or agencies in such a way as to assure secrecy or concealment Differs from a covert operation in that emphasis is placed on concealment of the operation rather than on concealment of the identity of the sponsor ©2013, Taylor & Francis

5. Deception Operations Deception measures are those designed to mislead the enemy by manipulation, distortion, or falsification of evidence The deceiver must know and understand the mind of the target of the deception Includes six principles: focus, objective, centralized planning and control, security, timeliness, and integration. ©2013, Taylor & Francis

6. Deception Operations Four basic deception techniques: – Feints – Demonstrations – Ruses – Displays ©2013, Taylor & Francis

7. A Recent History of Covert and Clandestine Operations by the United States World War II Post World War II The Cold War The overthrow of various governments Operation Chaos and COINTELPRO Cuba The Contras ©2013, Taylor & Francis

8. Military Covert Operations After World War II, the United States reevaluated its military needs Non-traditional or special operation military operations were developed during this time such as the Navy SEALS; the Army reactivated the Rangers of World War II, the Special Forces, and, later, Delta Force ©2013, Taylor & Francis

9. Legal Requirements Upon the President to Report Intelligence Operations Executive Order 11905 50 U.S.C. § 413 – Gang of Eight ©2013, Taylor & Francis

10. Covert Operations and the War on Terror National Security Presidential Directive Extraordinary rendition Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) The most significant covert operation since the 9/11 attacks was the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011 ©2013, Taylor & Francis

11. Are Covert Ops a Good Idea? Covert operations are among the most controversial activities carried out by the IC – Those who favor them claim that they provide the Executive Branch with an essential “third option” between diplomacy and military action – Critics say success has been exaggerated ©2013, Taylor & Francis

12. Conclusion Covert and clandestine operations have existed since the founding of the nation and continue today Covert operations and clandestine operations are distinct The impacts of such operations are tremendous, and contribute toward strategic advantage for the United States and its allies ©2013, Taylor & Francis