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- Political Categories of Intelligence Information:Â Categorized by political constraints and controls.Note that these are largely driven by the form and philosophy of our governmental structures — concern with civilized behavior, human liberty, and the potential for tyranny.
- Scope of Sovereignty
- Domestic
Pertaining to activities within the political borders of the nation, and to citizens of the nation beyond those political borders.
- Foreign Allied
Pertaining to activities within the political borders of nations counted as political and/or military allies (but not necessarily economic allies).
- Foreign Neutral
Pertaining to activities within the political borders of non-aligned (and presumably neutral) nations and beyond the political borders of any nation.
- Foreign Hostile
Pertaining to activities within the political borders of nations counted as politically and/or militarily hostile.
- Scope of Coercion
- Civilian
Pertaining to activities performed by non-military and non-law-enforcement agents and forces. Potential for coercion is minimal — citizen participation is voluntary or, at worst, involves coercion by civil penalties mediated by an independent judiciary.
- Law enforcement
Pertaining to activities performed by non-military law-enforcement agents and forces. Potential for coercion is moderate to severe — imprisonment and even execution may be imposed but only through the moderating intervention of an independent judiciary.
- Military
Pertaining to activities performed by military agents and forces. Potential for coercion is extreme — imprisonment and use of lethal force are authorized at the discretion of field commanders and with no effective review.