Argentina's National Intelligence System (SIN) is undergoing reorganization, sparking debates on its effectiveness and oversight. An analysis compares it with leading global intelligence agencies: the CIA (USA), Mossad (Israel), and the BND (Germany).
Historically, the CIA, created in 1947, has a stable structure of five directorates responsible for analysis, operations, support, science, and digital innovation. Its main strength is its global reach, combining various intelligence disciplines (HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT) and a massive budget. However, the agency is criticized for analytical failures (Iraq), human rights violations, and excessive reliance on contractors. Recent cases include the operation to kill Osama bin Laden and the controversial use of drones.
The Mossad, founded in 1949, is an elite agency under the direct command of the Prime Minister. Its specialization is human intelligence (HUMINT), covert operations, cyberespionage, and protecting Jewish communities abroad. The Mossad is known for operations of such scale as the capture of Eichmann in Argentina. However, the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, revealed its vulnerabilities, including an underestimation of signals and over-reliance on technology.
The BND, successor to the Gehlen Organization founded in 1956, has a strong legal framework and close cooperation with European and allied services. Its priorities are counter-terrorism, weapons proliferation, cybersecurity, and geopolitical analysis. Key advantages include budget transparency and parliamentary oversight. Main weaknesses are bureaucracy, legal restrictions, and a shortage of skilled personnel.
The Argentine model, reorganized around the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE), combines elements of all three agencies. It is politically centralized, like the Mossad, aspires to a legal foundation, like the BND, and needs to coordinate multiple agencies, like the CIA. The key challenge is to modernize to address new threats (cyberattacks, transnational crime) without compromising democratic principles of control and transparency.
