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Generation of STIR Briefs
The Briefs and their predecessors have always by their nature been unscheduled publications. For the most part they have been generated by important incoming information being recognized by the analysts as worthy of immediate reporting. In a few instances they have been generated by high level interest in a topic and have been done on request.
Format and Classification
The format of the Brief has followed the classic OSI style of writing and generally has a Summary and Conclusions and then a Discussion. As in almost every other category of OSI publication the information is evaluated, although in the case of the Briefs with the requirement for timeliness the analysis is frequently preliminary and so stated. Often the Brief is speculative as is fitting for this type of reporting.
No restrictions are placed on the classification or the controls used on Briefs. Indeed, in some instances items that normally would have been published in the SID by virtue of their subject matter have been published through the Brief mechanism because of classification and control restrictions.
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