The National Intelligence Strategy Of The United States Of America

Twenty years after the Berlin Wall came down and eight years after the tragedy of September
11, 2001, the United States has emerged from the post-Cold War world and
post-9/11 world. We know the type of world we face, the nature of the threats, challenges,
and opportunities before us, and the role intelligence can play in supporting
policies that advance our national interests.
The United States faces a complex and rapidly shifting international security landscape.
Events at home and abroad move quickly, often in an interconnected fashion, driven by
the pace of technological change and international communications. National security
priorities adapt as rapidly as these events unfold. The Intelligence Community (IC) must
keep a steady focus on enduring challenges in and among nation-states and persistent
transnational issues, and also be agile in adapting to emerging threats and harnessing
opportunities. The National Intelligence Strategy (NIS) sets out the following guiding
principles: responsive and incisive understanding of global threats and opportunities,
coupled with an agility that brings to bear the Community’s capabilities.
The 2009 NIS represents several advances in the Director of National Intelligence’s
(DNI) leadership of the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and the IC. It reflects a refined
understanding of the counterterrorism challenge and elevates the importance of
the challenges we face in the cyber domain and from counterintelligence threats. This
NIS also affirms priorities to focus IC plans and actions for the next four years, while
providing direction to guide development of future IC capabilities. The NIS highlights
areas that demand our attention, resources, and commitment. It also establishes the
basis for accountability, in conjunction with an implementation plan, to ensure that the
Community meets the goals of our strategy.
This document affirms the vital role that intelligence plays in our Nation’s security.
We will only succeed because of the extraordinary talent, courage, and patriotism of
our professionals.