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The Ethics Of Intelligence Gathering Or The Dilemma Of Intelligence Sharing
The Ethics of Intelligence Gathering or the Dilemma of Intelligence Sharing
[Farrion McCollough]
[Name of the Institution]
The Ethics of Intelligence Gathering or the Dilemma of Intelligence Sharing
Be it is a security or ethical policy, the modern world has its dynamics of ethics and morality in every aspect of life. Every nation-state in the modern international system faces a kind of security dilemma which is a realist perspective in international relations. In this vein, it is the common practice of the security agencies in every nation-state to employ all means when it comes to gathering information about rogue states. Every country has one special intelligence-gathering agency which is entrusted with the task of collecting information that enhances the survival of state in this competitive world. The central intelligence agency in the USA is entrusted with this very task and here this agency follows the principle of Nicolo Machiavelli who stated in the 17th century that “ End justifies the means, and it is stated which is the ultimate end". So there is widespread use of forgery and forged documents by the CIA to gather intelligence on foreign states such as North Korea in this case.
However, if the CIA performs this venture of sending a spy with forge documents from a friendly Anglophone country, it is unethical when that friendly country is not involved. As Jack Bosley mentions that it is good to involve that friendly country in this venture and strive for cooperation. This is the better approach rather than leaving that friendly country uninvolved in the whole process of intelligence gathering. Furthermore, it is not good to send the CIA operation without informing the friendly state as they might consider it offensive to their national interests, and this would harm the future contours between the two states in modern world.
Moreover, friendly states need to be taken on board when it is about such sensitive issues such as sending people undercover with forged documents. This is the approach of the then US president Woodrow Wilson who used to consider every stakeholder seriously in the process. The consensus is really important in world politics and it is even more important when it is about intelligence gathering on sensitive matters. This is the approach of liberalism that joint ventures yield more results.
Thus, it is utmost essential that all significant participants are taken on board while gathering information on foreign lands with forged documents. The modern world has changed and so is the concept of national interests. A more pragmatic and well-comprehensive security relationship is needed among friendly states as Lord Palmerstone said, “ In international relations, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent interests.”
End Notes
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Kellar, Alex. “4 Prerequisites of Intelligence Cooperation.” Twilight of the British Empire: British Intelligence and Counter-Subversion in the Middle East, 1948-63, 2018, 88.
2. Lundy, Larry, Alexa O’Brien, Christine Solis, Aaron Sowers, and Jeffrey Turner. “The Ethics of Applied Intelligence in Modern Conflict.” International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence 32, no. 3 (2019): 587–599.
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