Preface
By Richard A. Mobley
Having published two books and 19 articles based heavily on unclassified and declassified government documents, I have occasionally been asked about my research techniques. Most recently, I was asked by the editors of Studies in Intelligence to consider preparing this guide after the publication in its June 2024 issue (Vol. 68, No. 2) of my article "Cambodia's Role in Shipping Arms to Communist Forces in South Vietnam, 1966–70: Competing CIA and US Military Estimates," which was heavily based on declassified material available in various locations. Now, with a quarter century of research into crises involving the nexus between intelligence and strategic decision-making during the period 1950–1990, I will seek to answer some of those questions and offer some lessons I’ve learned during repeated efforts to locate and seek declassification of such material.
I share only a few thoughts, as this is not intended to be a detailed “how to” manual. I also reference the work of James D. Marchio and Gary B. Keeley, both of whom have also done extensive work using US government documents. Although most of this article reflects my experience, I have flagged their efforts in two textboxes.