Intelligence As an Instrument of National Power: Lessons Learned from the Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo

Intelligence activity is unique; it can be a valuable and powerful tool in the hands of state leaders. Leaders should rely not solely on their perception or intuition to leverage the intelligence instrument of national power but rather on understanding this phenomenon and its inherent qualities. Often, political leadership may confuse the functions of intelligence and law-enforcement agencies, leading to the ineffective or inefficient use of national power instruments to achieve strategic goals. Leveraging the intelligence instrument of national power in prolonged conflicts with a larger adversary is a crucial aspect of statecraft. The role of intelligence can be vital for gaining advantages and should not be limited to supporting other instruments of national power. Drawing on the Serbian-Kosovo tensions of 2023, particularly in September, the article demonstrates how intelligence could have helped Kosovo avert certain adverse developments, providing relevant examples from other countries.