Tasking Discipline Over Tradecraft

Most failures start with bad requests: either 'Whither China?' (too broad) or GPS‑pinpoint asks (too narrow). Educating consumers to issue focused, decision‑relevant tasking—and to demand signposted scenarios—matters more than adding analytical bells and whistles. The victim of bad tasking is often scapegoated as an 'intelligence failure.' — Shifting accountability to demand‑side discipline changes how Congress, agencies, and the White House manage and judge intelligence work.