On the other hand, I think Commander's intent is a bit what remains unsaid.

If you look at the cycle, what Commander's intent implies is that the starting point or objectives are modified or set in some way and the circumstances you want to bring about have to fit within them. This is also mentioned in the third point of the filtering process, "Are there secondary or tertiary effects that are contra productive to the end state?"

Doing different plans for different levels is thus a matter of cycling the loop, similar to in the temporal aspect mentioned. Of course, there are more considerations that have to be taken into account when making a real plan, but as a concept that is what happens.

You are right that it could have been written out more clearly and expanded.