Intelligence Officers Have an Ethical Responsibility to Use Tradecraft

Intelligence officers have an ethical responsibility to choose the most appropriate tools and methods—collectively called "tradecraft"—and this responsibility transcends military or civilian affiliation, rank or seniority, employment status (contractor versus government personnel), intelligence discipline, and intelligence career field. Each intelligence officer has an ethical responsibility to seek a greater and deeper understanding of tradecraft; to apply tradecraft effectively and appropriately; to speak up when tradecraft is being used poorly, or not at all; and to teach and mentor all who ask for help or do not know to ask. This responsibility cannot be outsourced to technology solutions, nor to an ombudsman or a senior manager. In the United States, it cannot be replaced by treating Intelligence Community Directive 203 as a checklist. Nor will it solve all the Intelligence Community's woes—including politicization—but it offers an important layer of protection against poor intelligence while providing a real mechanism to actualize integrity.