Editing Military (section)

===Intelligence===
{{Main|Military intelligence|}}

The next requirement comes as a fairly basic need for the military to identify possible [[military threat|threats]] it may be called upon to face. For this purpose, some of the commanding forces and other military, as well as often civilian personnel participate in identification of these threats. This is at once an organization, a system and a process collectively called [[military intelligence]] (MI). Areas of study in Military intelligence may include the operational environment, hostile, friendly and neutral forces, the civilian population in an area of combat operations, and other broader areas of interest.<ref>
{{cite web| title = University Catalog 2011/2012, Master Courses: pp.99, size: 17MB| url = http://www.ni-u.edu/pdf/NIU_Catalog_2011.pdf| publisher = US National Intelligence University| access-date = 28 March 2012| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120123164032/http://www.ni-u.edu/pdf/NIU_Catalog_2011.pdf| archive-date = 23 January 2012}}
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The difficulty in using military intelligence concepts and military intelligence methods is in the nature of the [[Information security|secrecy]] of the information they seek, and the [[clandestine operation|clandestine]] nature that intelligence operatives work in obtaining what may be plans for a [[conflict escalation]], [[Phase (combat)|initiation of combat]], or an [[invasion]].

An important part of the military intelligence role is the military analysis performed to assess [[military capability]] of potential future aggressors, and provide combat modelling that helps to understand factors on which comparison of forces can be made. This helps to quantify and qualify such statements as: "[[People's Liberation Army|China]] and [[Military of India|India]] maintain the largest armed forces in the World" or that "the [[U.S. Military]] is considered to be the world's strongest".<ref>[http://www.statista.com/statistics/220318/opinion-of-americans-on-the-us-being-the-no1-military-power-in-the-world/ Statistics on Americans' opinion about the U.S. being the world's no1 military power] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010065827/https://www.statista.com/statistics/220318/opinion-of-americans-on-the-us-being-the-no1-military-power-in-the-world/ |date=10 October 2017 }}, Gallup, March 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2013.</ref>
[[File:Simple guerrilla organization.svg|thumb|Guerrilla structure]]

Although some groups engaged in combat, such as militants or [[resistance movement]]s, refer to themselves using military terminology, notably 'Army' or 'Front', none have had the structure of a national military to justify the reference, and usually have had to rely on support of outside national militaries. They also use these terms to conceal from the MI their true capabilities, and to impress potential ideological recruits.

Having military intelligence representatives participate in the execution of the national defence policy is important, because it becomes the first respondent and commentator on the policy expected [[strategic goal (military)|strategic goal]], compared to the realities of [[Intelligence (information gathering)|identified threats]]. When the intelligence reporting is compared to the policy, it becomes possible for the national leadership to consider allocating resources over and above the officers and their subordinates military pay, and the expense of maintaining military facilities and military support services for them.