Intelligence Networks and the Tri Border Area of South America : The Dilemma of Efficiency Versus Oversight

This thesis examines the intelligence communities of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to determine how to better coordinate and share information between themselves and the United States to combat the emerging threat of terrorism within the border region shared by the three Latin American countries. The thesis argues from the standpoint that the primary intelligence effort should be economic and HUMINT due to the currently low threat levels, and that the threat should be handled by civilian agencies. It examines each community based on an Ideal Type intelligence community model that balances efficient, competitive, all-source intelligence organizations with oversight at the various levels. The thesis also examines U.S. foreign policy in the region to determine if it has helped or hindered each country's intelligence community to better align itself with the ideal type model. It concludes with policy recommendations for the United States to develop better bilateral relationships with each country, as well as recommendations to help to form a regional coordination initiative that will allow multilateral intelligence sharing.Naval Postgraduate School Monterey CA is the author of 'Intelligence Networks and the Tri Border Area of South America : The Dilemma of Efficiency Versus Oversight', published 2002 under ISBN 9781423505716 and ISBN 1423505719.