INTEL 589

Estimating the total number of unelected and appointed officials within the global intelligence community, both with and without security clearance, is challenging due to the secretive nature of intelligence work and the lack of publicly available data. However, we can provide a rough estimate based on publicly known information about major intelligence agencies and their typical structures.

Estimating the Number of Unelected and Appointed Officials

With Security Clearance

• United States:
• CIA: Approximately 21,000 employees, with the majority holding security clearances.
• NSA: Around 32,000 employees, almost all with security clearances.
• DNI: Smaller, with a focus on oversight and coordination, consisting of around 2,000 employees. Estimate for the U.S.: Approximately 55,000-60,000 employees across major agencies, nearly all with security clearances.
• United Kingdom:
• MI6: Estimated 2,500-3,000 employees.
• MI5: Around 4,500 employees.
• GCHQ: Approximately 6,000 employees. Estimate for the U.K.: Around 12,000-13,500 employees, with most holding clearances.
• Russia:
• FSB: Estimated 200,000 employees, many with high-level security clearances.
• SVR: Roughly 13,000 employees.
• GRU: Around 15,000-20,000 employees. Estimate for Russia: Approximately 230,000-240,000 employees, the majority with clearances.
• China:
• MSS: Estimated 100,000 employees.
• PLA Intelligence: Several tens of thousands, though exact numbers are unclear. Estimate for China: Approximately 100,000-150,000 employees with clearances.

Without Security Clearance

• The number of personnel without security clearance in intelligence agencies is typically lower, as most roles require some level of clearance. However, support roles, administrative staff, and certain external contractors may not require full clearance.
• General Estimate: In most intelligence agencies, around 10-20% of the workforce might operate without full security clearance, depending on the agency and country.

Global Estimate

Taking into account the major intelligence agencies across the world, including smaller countries, and considering both those with and without security clearance, the following estimates can be made:

1. Total with Security Clearance:

• Global Estimate: Approximately 500,000-600,000 individuals across various countries.

1. Total without Security Clearance:

• Global Estimate: Approximately 50,000-100,000 individuals, mostly in non-operational roles.

Conclusion

Globally, the intelligence community likely consists of about 550,000 to 700,000 unelected and appointed officials, with the vast majority holding security clearances due to the sensitive nature of their work. A smaller proportion, around 50,000 to 100,000, may not require full clearance, typically occupying roles that do not involve direct access to classified information.

These estimates provide a general understanding but should be treated with caution due to the inherent secrecy and variability in the organization of intelligence agencies worldwide.

Typical and Atypical Secrets in Intelligence Agencies: Insights from Declassified Material

Introduction

Intelligence agencies around the world are entrusted with safeguarding national security, which involves handling a wide range of classified information. Declassified documents have provided some insights into the types of secrets that these agencies hold, as well as the nature of the work carried out by their personnel. This analysis covers typical secrets—those that are expected within the scope of intelligence work—and atypical secrets, which are less common or more controversial.

Typical Secrets

1. Operational Details

• Spy Networks and Informants: A significant portion of intelligence work involves maintaining networks of spies and informants. Declassified documents often reveal the identities of agents who have operated covertly in foreign nations, the methods they used to gather intelligence, and the operations they were involved in. For example, during the Cold War, both the CIA and KGB operated extensive networks of informants across Europe and Asia, which were critical to their strategic objectives.
• Surveillance Programs: Declassified materials have uncovered extensive surveillance programs. For instance, the NSA’s PRISM program, revealed by Edward Snowden, was a typical secret involving the mass collection of data from tech companies to monitor communications for national security threats.

1. Covert Operations

• Regime Change and Political Interventions: Intelligence agencies are often involved in covert operations aimed at influencing or toppling foreign governments. Declassified CIA documents, for example, have detailed operations such as the 1953 coup in Iran (Operation Ajax) and the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba. These operations are typical of the agency’s broader mandate to protect U.S. interests abroad through covert means.
• Counterterrorism Operations: Post-9/11, many intelligence agencies have been involved in counterterrorism efforts. Declassified reports reveal operations such as targeted drone strikes, renditions, and interrogations carried out by the CIA and other agencies as part of the War on Terror.

1. Technological Advancements

• Cryptography and Code-breaking: Agencies like the NSA have long been involved in the development of advanced cryptography and code-breaking technologies. Declassified documents, such as those related to the breaking of the Enigma code during World War II, reveal the extent of these efforts and their importance in wartime strategy.
• Surveillance Technology: Declassified materials from projects like ECHELON—a global surveillance network run by a coalition of countries—reveal the technological capabilities developed by intelligence agencies to intercept and monitor communications worldwide.

Atypical Secrets

1. Mind Control and Behavioral Experiments

• MKUltra: One of the most infamous atypical secrets revealed through declassified documents is the CIA’s MKUltra program. This was a series of experiments conducted in the 1950s and 1960s aimed at developing mind control techniques using drugs, hypnosis, and psychological manipulation. The program was controversial and led to significant public backlash once it was exposed, highlighting the lengths to which intelligence agencies might go in the pursuit of control over human behavior.

1. Collusion with Criminal Organizations

• Operation Underworld: During World War II, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the CIA’s predecessor, the OSS, collaborated with the Mafia in operations against Axis powers, particularly in securing the New York waterfront. This declassified information reveals an atypical secret—collusion with criminal elements—which, while expedient for wartime needs, runs counter to the agencies’ public law enforcement roles.
• Iran-Contra Affair: Declassified documents from the Iran-Contra affair revealed that the Reagan administration, through the CIA, secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran (which was under an arms embargo) and used the proceeds to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua. This operation, involving illegal arms sales and covert support for a rebel group, was far outside the normal scope of intelligence activities.

1. Human Rights Violations

• Extraordinary Rendition and Torture: The CIA’s involvement in extraordinary rendition—where suspects were captured and transferred to countries where they were likely to be tortured—was another atypical secret revealed by declassified documents. Programs such as those conducted at Guantanamo Bay and black sites around the world have exposed the agency to severe criticism for human rights abuses.

1. Unexplained Phenomena

• Project Blue Book: The U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book, declassified in the 1970s, investigated UFO sightings from 1947 to 1969. While most cases were explained, some remained unresolved, fueling public interest in extraterrestrial life. This type of secret is atypical, as it straddles the line between legitimate intelligence work and the investigation of unexplained phenomena.

1. Political Manipulation and Media Control

• Operation Mockingbird: Declassified information about Operation Mockingbird revealed that the CIA had recruited journalists and used major media outlets to influence public opinion during the Cold War. This program represents an atypical secret, as it involved manipulating domestic media and public discourse, which is generally outside the traditional purview of intelligence agencies focused on external threats.

Conclusion

Declassified documents provide a window into the secretive world of intelligence agencies, revealing both the typical operations one might expect—such as espionage, covert interventions, and technological developments—as well as more atypical activities, such as mind control experiments, collusion with criminal organizations, and political manipulation. These revelations underscore the complex and often controversial role that intelligence agencies play in national and global security.

Understanding these secrets is crucial for comprehending the broader implications of intelligence work, particularly when it intersects with ethical, legal, and societal norms.