Intelligence and the War on Terror: How Dirty Are We Willing to Get Our Hands?

The nature of intelligence work requires spies to maintain steadfast dedication to the best interests of their country, while carrying out acts of profound deceit and betrayal. In this article, CIA veteran James Olson explores this moral paradox by reviewing the history of intelligence in the United States, and posing a series of realistic scenarios capturing the brutal nature of the war on terror. He concludes by calling for a national dialogue to determine a set of moral guidelines to guide intelligence work.