Intelligence experts probe morality, ethics of spying

Should there be boundaries in covert operations? The answer to that affects the country and agents’ careers

WASHINGTON — Two former U.S. intelligence officials will discuss the cloakand-dagger world of espionage and the difficult ethical dilemmas it poses for U.S. spies at a lecture in Albuquerque on Feb. 25. Stephen Slick, director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Intelligence Studies Project, and Douglas Wise, retired senior CIA operations officer, will wrestle with the question of whether a profession that requires lying, cheating, stealing,

manipulating, exploiting and deceiving should have ethical boundaries. In a Journal interview, Slick said every potential intelligence officer must answer that question for themselves, and that their ultimate responsibility is adhering to U.S. and international law.

The panel discussion — part of the Albuquerque International Association’s ongoing lecture series — is Sunday, Feb. 25, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the UNM Continuing Education Auditorium.

Slick said the subject of espionage and ethics is

popular among his students, who are often contemplating careers in intelligence.

“Many are curious about the moral and ethical quality of the paths they may be assigned working for the government, so we explore it,” said Slick, who served for 28 years in the CIA’s clandestine service, including five assignments abroad. “It’s something that practitioners in the profession think about quite regularly although it is not very often debated in public.”

Slick said ethical questions pervade the field and often mirror those faced by undercover drug agents working for the FBI or Drug Enforcement Administration.

“There is, in fact, little difference between a CIA officer overseas recruiting and handling a foreign agent than the way the FBI or DEA might handle human sources in the U.S.,” Slick said.

That’s where the ethical questions often arise.

“If you’re going to penetrate and gain information from terrorist organizations, narcotics trafficking organization or organized crime, you’re going to have to deal with some unsavory characters to get the kinds of information you need because that’s who populates these organizations,” he said.

A CIA recruit who isn’t willing to deceive in the course of doing his or her work may not be cut out for the agency’s fast track.

“Some people don’t prefer to live a lie day in and day out, and those are people who are not going thrive in the hiring process or in moving up the ranks in the CIA,” Slick said.

Asked about his own ethical compass during his time engaged in covert operations, Slick said he took a “utilitarian” approach to the job.

“If it’s necessary to protect the country I’m willing to do it because I’m a patriot and I want to see my country survive,” he said. “That may require some personal ethical compromises on my part but for the greater good, it’s necessary. That’s the utilitarian model and one that I think applies to most of the intelligence officers I’ve served with over the year and it was certainly one that I subscribed to.”