Mindsets and Missiles

Book excerpt: This work, by a retired CIA officer, provides details and analysis of the intelligence failures and successes of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and suggests the applicability of lessons learned to the collection, analysis, and use of intelligence in strategic decision making. It describes how the crisis unfolded using the author's personal recollection, declassified documents, and memoirs written by CIA officers and others who were participants. Lessons learned include the need to avoid having our political, analytical and intelligence collection mind-sets prevent us from acquiring and accurately analyzing intelligence about our adversary's true plans and intentions. We must also understand that our adversaries may not believe the gravity of our policy warnings or allow their own agendas to be influenced by diplomatic pressure. (Originally published by the Strategic Studies Institute)