Western Intelligence and the Collapse of the Soviet Union: 1980-1990: Ten Years that did not Shake the World
Type
Book
Authors
ISBN 10
0714654019
ISBN 13
9780714654010
Category
327-International Relations
[ Browse Items ]
Publication Year
2003
Publisher
Pages
356
Subject
1. Intelligence service--United States--History--20th century. 2.Intelligence service--Europe, Western--History--20th century.3.Intelligence service--International cooperation.4.Soviet Union--Politics and government--1985-1991.
Abstract
When the worst terrorist atrocity in American history occurred on September 11,2001, the intelligence agencies of the united states and most of the western world were taken by surprise. Ten years earlier, in 1991, those same organizations were surprised when the soviet Empire collapsed.in both cases the intelligence establishment has invested enormous resources, analytical papers and yet failed to provide an early warning of the impending soviet collapse as well as the coming terrorist attack. This book sets out to explain why western intelligence agencies failed to diagnose the Soviet Union’s terminal condition, despite the many obvious symptoms, and worse, why they failed to convey what they did know to the political echelon.
But it was not only the failure of intelligence. Politicians too were blinded by an obsession with a continuing soviet threat to western interest, even in the 1980s while the Soviet Union was crumbling from within. A handful of honest intelligence professionals who identified the signs of weakness and distress were shunted aside. The authors have interviewed dozens of people who dealt with soviet affairs in the 1980s, most of them in the United States, and some in Europe, the Soviet Union and Israel. The interviewed including high- ranking government officials, academics and journalists, but mostly intelligence personnel. All admitted having been caught off guard, but differed over the reasons for their surprise, and who was responsible for it.
It was professional failure that touched on developments that shocked the world. It was caused by the usual mix of crass stupidity, cynicism, wickedness. Selfishness, sectarians and party political motives- and also perhaps by cold, calculated economic and political interests, which dictated policies based on past fixations and turning a blind eye to what was really happening.
But it was not only the failure of intelligence. Politicians too were blinded by an obsession with a continuing soviet threat to western interest, even in the 1980s while the Soviet Union was crumbling from within. A handful of honest intelligence professionals who identified the signs of weakness and distress were shunted aside. The authors have interviewed dozens of people who dealt with soviet affairs in the 1980s, most of them in the United States, and some in Europe, the Soviet Union and Israel. The interviewed including high- ranking government officials, academics and journalists, but mostly intelligence personnel. All admitted having been caught off guard, but differed over the reasons for their surprise, and who was responsible for it.
It was professional failure that touched on developments that shocked the world. It was caused by the usual mix of crass stupidity, cynicism, wickedness. Selfishness, sectarians and party political motives- and also perhaps by cold, calculated economic and political interests, which dictated policies based on past fixations and turning a blind eye to what was really happening.
Description
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. It was an event of major historic and global dimensions, yet it took the entire world totally by suprise. In this book, the authors interview dozens of people who dealt with Soviet affairs in the 1980s, all of who admit to having been caught off guard. - from Amzon
Biblio Notes
CONTENTS
1. The Threat…………………………………………………………………………………………..P 1
2. The Myth…………………………………………………………………………………………….P 50
3. Conceptual Conformity……………………………………………………………………….P 117
4. The Great Surprise………………………………………………………………………………P 176
5. The Writing on the Wall………………………………………………………………………P 181
6. Why the west failed to see the writing on the wall………………………………P 207
7. Politics and Intelligence……………………………………………………………………..P 249
8.The Relevance of strategic Intelligence……………………………………………….P 284
Epilogue: From strategic black spot to operational Blunder………………….P 296
1. The Threat…………………………………………………………………………………………..P 1
2. The Myth…………………………………………………………………………………………….P 50
3. Conceptual Conformity……………………………………………………………………….P 117
4. The Great Surprise………………………………………………………………………………P 176
5. The Writing on the Wall………………………………………………………………………P 181
6. Why the west failed to see the writing on the wall………………………………P 207
7. Politics and Intelligence……………………………………………………………………..P 249
8.The Relevance of strategic Intelligence……………………………………………….P 284
Epilogue: From strategic black spot to operational Blunder………………….P 296
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