Spying on the world: the declassified documents of the Joint Intelligence Committee

Abstract

These 20 case studies reveal the declassified papers of the JIC, shining a light on the workings of Whitehall's secret world and the vital, previously unknown, role played by intelligence in pivotal events across the 20th and 21st centuries. For more than half a century, the Joint Intelligence Committee or 'JIC' has been a central component of the British Government's secret machinery. It represents the highest authority in the world of intelligence and acts as a broker between the spy and the policy-maker. From WWII to the War in Iraq, and from the Falklands to the IRA, it has been involved in almost every key foreign policy decision. Key Features. 20 case studies explore the role of intelligence in foreign and defence policy, showing how the JIC influences the government's policy responses to particular situations Each study reproduces an original intelligence assessment or report together with a contextualising introduction and explanatory footnotes Essential reading for students and academics researching contemporary international history and government policymaking processes