Research: Intelligence and Covert Action

I have begin researching my topic, Intelligence and Covert Action in Iran and Afghanistan, and I have noticed that the history of foreign intelligence in these countries is documented well and is accessible to the general public. Some of the documents that I have reviewed have recently become declassified; meaning, that the covert actions of specific agencies throughout history has started to unfold as a result of an increase in transparency and accountability. This availability of information regarding intelligence has afforded me the opportunity to use history as a starting point for my research. furthermore, the chronological history of events in Iran and Afghanistan serves as basis in which to begin the exploration of how foreign powers are able to disrupt the social order of a country; this question will be developed through a rational choice model. The rational choice model will serve as the main method in which to explain how covert action and intelligence is successful and also, why it occurs. There is a potential problem that exists within the research itself; the availability of recent information regarding intelligence may be minimal because of the nature of the intelligence community and the need for secrecy within action.

Researching the current affairs of intelligence in Iran and Afghanistan is difficult because it is still unfolding; some of the documents regarding operations in these countries were not declassified for decades later. As events unfold throughout the world, government leaders are the only ones who have access to information regarding issues of high sensitivity; it becomes difficult to get the most recent information regarding the intelligence community, without actually being a part of it. There are intelligence patterns that have existed throughout history that can provide guidance in current international affairs but in order to write a comparative study on Intelligence, one must use history as a tool in which to understand. These agencies have their countries best interest in mind and they are willing to disrupt the order of another to accomplish their goals. In order to be successful in this study, historical analysis must be avoided at all costs; I would instead like to gain more information on the methods used by these agencies and how those methods were decided upon through rational decision making.