An Informative View on Sunzi's Chapter 13: Exploiting Intelligence

Following is a listing of quotes regarding to "the intelligence game" from  a former intelligence analyst:

• All important intelligence methods have already been perfected by the Russians. We need to figure out how to do them nicely.

/// I do not think this analyst has ever read "The Tao of Spycraft."  ///

• Intelligence analysts without deep knowledge of the target (language, culture, history) are usually worse than useless.

• If you don’t understand collection, you don’t understand intelligence. Period.. No exceptions..

• If you don’t understand the other side’s collection, and what he’s doing to mess up your collection, you’re clueless too.

• “ … You can never have “too many” dots (preferably multi-INT). But make sure they’re real dots, not dots other sides wants you to see.  … “

• “ If you  don’t own the street, the other side will.  And soon they will steal your lunch money. “

• The best way to protect your secrets is to steal the other side’s.

• “The bigger your bureaucracy, the less effective your intelligence system is.  No exceptions.  ..”

• You can learn tradecraft.  You can’t learn common sense. Nor can you get “up to speed” on a problem in a couple weeks.

• SIGINT is the golden source but if the enemy doesn’t understand his own system, neither will you.

/// In the cyber economy, SIGINT is one of the most popular means of exploiting the competition.///

• There are no “new” intel ideas. The Russians (or Brits or French or Israelis) have done it already. But you can make ideas better.

/// Again, I do not think this analyst has ever read "The Tao of Spycraft."  ///

• If you don’t understand the other side’s collection, and what he’s doing to mess up your collection, your collection, you’re clueless too,

• “It’s not what you know. It’s not who you know. It’s what you know about who you know.”

• Generals like pictures. They will go with IMINT over any other INT even it’s clearly BS to the trained eye.

/// People are always looking for the simple answer without ever realizing the complexity of a strategic situation.  ///

• Intelligence services are accurate reflections of their societies. It’s not always a pretty picture.

• US intelligence is the world’s BIGGDAWG esp. in SIGINT & IMINT, but the bureaucracy is so vast as to undercut too much of that.

• There are two kinds of intel services: Those with global look/reach and those without. Very few in Group 1. Huge difference.

• Good analysts are golden, bur there are few of them. And like academics, they are tough to manage and entitled in outlook.

• One analyst who really knows target in and out is worth his/her weight in gold.  But they’re very rare and their co-worker hate them.

• If you’re not at least somewhat competent in counterintelligence, why bother having intel services at all? You’re giving it away.

• If you think counterintelligence is fundamentally about catching traitors/moles, you don’t really understand CI.

Source:   Business Insider  

Sunzi strategists can talk about philosophical strategy and tactics all day. With the intelligence advantage, one could secure the "serious ground" that leads to the apex of their goal.