Gun walking operation undertaken by the Bureau of ATF

Summary of the Case

The ATF gun walking scandal came to national attention in the United States in 2011 after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ran a series of “gun walking” sting operations between 2006 and 2011. This was done under the umbrella of Project Gunrunner, a project intended to stem the flow of firearms into Mexico by interdicting straw purchasers and gun traffickers within the U.S. “Gun walking” or “letting guns walk” was a tactic whereby the ATF knowingly allowed thousands of guns to be bought by suspected arms traffickers ("gunrunners") working through straw purchasers on behalf of Mexican drug cartels.

ATF "gun walking" operations were, in part, a response to longstanding criticism of the bureau for focusing on relatively minor gun violations while failing to target high-level gun smuggling figures. U.S. firearms laws currently govern the possession and transfer of firearms and provide penalties for the violation of such laws. “Gun trafficking,” although not defined by statute, essentially includes the movement or diversion of firearms from legal to illegal markets. Four federal statutes govern U.S. commerce of firearms domestically and internationally. Many states supplement these federal statutes and have firearms laws of their own that are stricter. For example, some states require permits to obtain firearms and impose a waiting period for firearm transfers. Domestic commerce and importations into the United States are generally regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). The exportation of firearms from the United States is regulated by the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 and, to a lesser extent, the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Defendants are often prosecuted and convicted under provisions of statutes like the GCA that make it unlawful for certain persons to be in possession of firearms; govern the transaction process of obtaining firearms (e.g., straw purchases); and contain penalties for the use of a firearm in a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, or penalties for knowingly or fraudulently smuggling goods that would be contrary to U.S. law and regulation.

Intelligence Analysis

"The maxim 'nothing avails but perfection' can be spelled 'paralysis' (Winston Churchill) Communication is important.  The intelligence professional must be able to produce "products" that are disseminated in a timely fashion to those in a position to make decisions and take action.  This can be accomplished in a number of ways.  For one example, there's CRITIC, or Critical Intelligence Communications; transmitted over any Special Intelligence Communications network to flash to the President and other senior officials alerts and warnings of the highest priority - an imminent coup, assassination of a world leader, or sinking of a sub, e.g. - and to have such message on the President's desk within ten minutes of the event.  However, a more effective means of incorporating dissemination into intelligence analysis involves an understanding of the intelligence cycle.

Planning - deciding how to get the job done

Collection - from open, covert, electronic, and satellite sources

Processing - ...