Information, Analysis, Intelligence: A Critical Challenge for 21 st Century Operations

The international community has intervened many times in recent years amidst complex emergencies deriving from some form of armed conflict. In these operations, military commanders have discovered numerous obstacles and requirements different from what they might have expected in a “traditional” war-fighting operation. The arenas of information, assessment and intelligence present some of the greatest changes. This article examines some of these changes, with a particular emphasis collecting information on and analyzing changes in the civil sector as part of the military operation. The article suggests some command and control developments to deal with the information, analysis, and intelligence challenges that a military commander will encounter in a complex emergency.