Intelligence Failures

Intelligence failures occur when agencies or organizations do not accurately gather, interpret, or act on information about threats or events, leading to unexpected or harmful outcomes. These failures can result from incomplete data, misjudgments, biases, or communication breakdowns, causing missed warnings or incorrect assessments. Essentially, they happen when the information used to make decisions does not reflect reality, preventing effective responses and sometimes allowing crises or threats to materialize unexpectedly. Recognizing these failures helps improve methods of gathering and analyzing information to better protect and prepare society.