Neither Madmen nor Messiahs: What NSA Leaks Reveal about Ethics in America's Intelligence Community

Andregg, Michael M.
2014-01-11
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Neither Madmen nor Messiahs: What NSA Leaks Reveal about Ethics in America's Intelligence Community

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2014-01-11

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Neither Madmen Nor Messiahs: What NSA Leaks Reveal About Ethics in America’s Intelligence Community The NSA (National Security Agency) has been savaging the US Constitution lately by secretly collecting data on almost every US citizen. But most of that evil work has been done by citizens obeying orders from true believers in the security state. In their hearts, they are heroes. It (the security state), however, has no heart. The key to understanding this dilemma is to recognize that the Intelligence Community (‘IC’) bureaucracies have mastered the art of getting “good people” to do “bad things” in the name of “national security.” There are just enough real maniacs on earth to frighten the hyper-vigilant at all times, even though actual deaths to real terrorists in North America are objectively far less each year today than deaths to bee stings, lightning strikes or televisions. So while I mention serious damage to American civil liberties and even to national security due to the recent growth of NSA activities, I need to be clear that this damage was done mainly by people with good intentions. In their minds, they are protecting the innocent from dangers posed by murky and sometimes stateless actors called “terrorists.” The IC clan is largely sincere, partly because they are told constantly that they are patriots by the bureaucracies that hire them, and which enforce the secrecy rules that enable such dysfunction. 9/11 provided an excuse. But bureaucracies run on money, not consciences, ‘free will,’ ethics or love, so counting on them to enforce any restraint is a fool’s conclusion. Bureaucracies are in it for the money, period.

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This review starts with the important distinctions between individuals in the IC system, who typically do have consciences and want to do right things, from bureaucracies which typically respond to money almost exclusively. In the IC, most bureaucracies actually fear ethics for several reasons. The frailties of official oversight and lack thereof get their own section, and this relatively short piece ends with many suggested solutions. A 'solutions orientation' must be part of almost all intelligence reform literature, because the problems discussed are often daunting.

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Andregg, Michael M.. (2014). Neither Madmen nor Messiahs: What NSA Leaks Reveal about Ethics in America's Intelligence Community. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/210168.

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