Central Intelligence Agency
About the CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Truman. The National Security Act charged the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence which affects national security.
George J. Tenet was confirmed on July 10, 1997, and is the current Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). The DCI serves as the head of the United States Intelligence Community, principal advisor to the President for intelligence matters related to national security, and head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The CIA is an independent agency, responsible to the President through the DCI, and accountable to the American people through the intelligence oversight committees of the U.S. Congress.
CIA’s mission is to support the President, the National Security Council, and all officials who make and execute the U.S. national security policy by:
Providing accurate, comprehensive, and timely foreign intelligence on national security topics.
Conducting counterintelligence activities, special activities, and other functions related to foreign intelligence and national security, as directed by the President.
To accomplish its mission, the CIA engages in research, development, and deployment of high-leverage technology for intelligence purposes. As a separate agency, CIA serves as an independent source of analysis on topics of concern and also works closely with the other organizations in the Intelligence Community to ensure that the intelligence consumer-whether Washington policymaker or battlefield commander-receives the best intelligence possible.
As changing global realities have reordered the national security agenda, CIA has met these new challenges by:
- Creating special, multidisciplinary centers to address such high-priority issues such as nonproliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, international organized crime and narcotics trafficking, environment, and arms control intelligence.
- Forging stronger partnerships between the several intelligence collection disciplines and all-source analysis.
- Taking an active part in Intelligence Community analytical efforts and producing all-source analysis on the full range of topics that affect national security.
- Contributing to the effectiveness of the overall Intelligence Community by managing services of common concern in imagery analysis and open-source collection and participating in partnerships with other intelligence agencies in the areas of research and development and technical collection.
- By emphasizing adaptability in its approach to intelligence collection, the CIA can tailor its support to key intelligence consumers and help them meet their needs as they face the issues of the post-Cold War World.