Instytut Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczo-Humanistycznego w Siedlcach
Abstract
Defining precisely what constitutes the United Nations intelligence capabilities is
difficult. By definition the UN has to be a transparent organization and it is suggested that
the world intelligence should be banned from the terminology of the UN because the
term associates with illegal or undercover activities. In accordance with the traditional
attitude within the UN system intelligence gathering is contrary to the open nature of the
UN system and is therefore absolutely forbidden. Reform documents such as An
Agenda for Peace and the Brahimi Report , describe tasks that include early-warning
information gathering and the need to provide for preventive steps based upon timely
and accurate knowledge of facts. Other roles have included information for the
understanding of developments and global trends based on analysis, and the need to
integrate intelligence assets into the UN's decision processes. Whether the term
intelligence or information is used to describe knowledge, the UN already has wellestablished
information and analysis systems. Intelligence in peace operations has to be
able to support several primary goals: first, gain public confidence though a winning the
hearts and minds or at least create passive acceptance the UN activities; second,
prevent misinformation spread by the indigenous paramilitary faction and purposely or
spontaneously generated rumours about UN operation; third, protect deployed personnel
and minimize damages. In peace intelligence allows respond to direct and indirect
threats having in mind potential UN deployment. Intelligence is a vital component of soft
political, economic, psychological, and moral power, supported by information
operations, careful intelligence work, and surgical precision at the more direct military or
police level. Intelligence has a strong role to play in supporting policy-makers attempting
to negotiate solutions to divided communities. Many failures in the history of UN field
operations might have been avoided if the UN had taken a more decisive approach to
intelligence and possessed a stronger mandate to gather information and improve its
information-gathering systems