I’m studying for my Law class and don’t understand how to answer this. Can you help me study?
As a student of intelligence (and very likely a current or future practitioner of intelligence) you are asked to address the question of ethics in the intelligence business. This question is broad and open-ended, but important because ethics provides a sense of guidance of what is right and appropriate.
Because you are in your senior seminar and the purpose of this course is to wrap-up your studies you must choose an ethical dilemma you have run across in your studies, articulate that dilemma, as well as your point of view. Your posting should be full and complete so that other students understand the dilemma, the considerations, and what is your position on the dilemma.
Please, when you post in this discussion board your first posting should be a “new message” with a short title.
To help you get your mind into the “ethics” problem…here are a few generalized topics to help you get some focus:
- You have given your best judgment in an intelligence report, but the boss wants to change your conclusions and you do not feel the changes are appropriate.
- You are engaged in covert action operations and you are asked to influence the opinions and thinking of an unsuspecting population in favor of a policy articulated by your government. You know otherwise innocent people are being manipulated without their knowledge.
- You become aware that your intelligence products are being used improperly as a political football.
- Congress has asked for intelligence that drives defense spending and the pressure is on to create a product which clearly articulates acquisition priorities of the Pentagon but which you think improperly reflects the true situation.
- You are participating in a targeted killing of a terrorist and you are aware that civilians, possibly even an American citizen, will be likely killed in the operation.
Instructions: Your initial post should be at least 1000 words.
