Essay Sample on Ethical Controversies in Security and International Intelligence/Security

Introduction

What is considered one of the fundamental ethical issues and its impact on US clandestine human collection? (For the question, use US clandestine human collection practices. The US does not blackmail or threaten an individual to secure the recruitment of a person. A recruited agent enters and departs a clandestine relationship with the US under their own volition)

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In every profession, ethical dilemmas must arise. The concern of whether to operate on effectiveness or ethics often presents a dilemma in most organizations (Goldman, 2006). The issue of ethics can be said to be an organizational issue as much as a personal one. Throughout history, human intelligence has always remained the most important and reliable form of intelligence collection. Voluntary and hired agents include some of the clandestine human intelligence sources who infiltrate a nation to access top-secret information regarding the operation of the country (Sibbet, 1993). Free will is often considered one of the ethical issues when an agent enters a clandestine agreement with his/her employers. An agent collecting intelligence must do it out of free will and not coerced into doing the job. Free will enables the agency to disown the agent in case of any complications to protect the nation.

Moral Complications When Utilizing Torture or Forced Interrogation to Gain Access to Intelligence Information

Torture has often presented a dilemma even to virtuous people when results are obtained justifying the evil act of torture. Resorting to torture can be understood, and forgiveness may be an issue even though it is unethical and cannot be justified. In cases regarding the morality of torture, the deontological versus utilitarian viewpoints may be initiated. In utilitarianism, it may be argued that it can be morally justified if the outcome of the torture saves the lives of many people (Kidder, 1995).

In determining morality, then the intended outcome of an action is the primary factor. However, deontology argues opposite to utilitarian considering it holds the belief that regardless of the outcome to be achieved, the rules must be upheld and respected. Torture treats the victim as an object and not as a person. Humans are supposed to be treated humanely and not worse than the way dogs are treated. It is not moral to violate human rights and dignity; however, torture dehumanizes the victim violating moral rights like the right to remain silent.

Several of the Challenges to Organizational Integrity Facing Many Intelligence Agencies

Most Organizations Fail to Monitor and Adjust Their Operating Cultures.

Organizations assume that good ethics happen without the efforts of an organization, which tend to make them pay dearly for the mistake. The management of these organizations does not put the required efforts in cultivating and moulding the organizational culture. The management of these organizations thinks that organizational ethics take shape on their forgetting that the culture, which an organization sets and develops shapes the culture since culture and ethics are dependent on the organization's efforts in ensuring the set rules are followed. Studies have concluded that the management of an organization is key, this follows as the management is responsible for setting the rules and seeing that they are put into action.

Prioritizing Efficiency Over Ethics

Most organizations tend to prioritize efficiency over ethics to the point that they would rather engage in unethical acts to ensure they attain the required results. Such acts kill the integrity of such institutions. The fact is that once an organization pushes its employees to achieve results at whatever cost, then that is the end of ethics considering the employees will conform to doing things in accordance to the organization. It is essential for organizations to set ethical rules and procedures of operations, which every employee follows. Only in this way, organizations will preserve and maintain the integrity and high moral standards. It is not wrong for organizations to pursue efficiency, but it has to be achieved ethically.

Corruption

Corruption is an international issue causing the decline of integrity. Most officials fail to pass the test of bribery and other ill forms of corruptions. This follows as people offer large sums of money to get access to information or some get paid to terminate certain crucial information about the examples being corruption investigating bodies. Such acts cast a bad name on organizations putting their integrity on doubt. Ending corruption cases like bribery would redeem and maintain the integrity of organizations.

Dishonest and Unreliable Leaders

Dishonesty and unreliability of leaders is another issue that puts the integrity of an organization into ruin. When leaders are dishonest, the organization will follow suit considering the employees will also engage in shady deals, which cast a bad name to an organization. Therefore, the best way to ensure the integrity of an organization is achieved is through maintaining good leadership.

Problems Intelligence Professionals Face in Establishing the Validity of Targeted Killings

Criticism regarding drones and other target killings have increased over the past few years. The U.S.A has used such methods as a measure for counter-terrorism disabling these terrorist organizations through decapitating their leadership (Bachmann, 2013). Despite the method of targeted killings being effective especially the use of technology like drones, it has faced criticism. Arguments have been tabled that this method is against humanity and it is a violation; hence the professionals are left in a dilemma. Moreover, it is argued that such attacks violate human rights and may at times claim the lives of other innocent parties. Targeted killings do not have a specific law where it falls under. According to International law, it permits such acts only where the lives of people are threatened, however, in certain instances, intelligence professionals find themselves in trouble when a targeted killing violates these laws.

References

Bachmann, S. (2013). Targeted Killings: Contemporary Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2208541

Daniel B. Sibbet, (1993) "Commercial Remote-Sensing," American Intelligence Journal, Spring/Summer 1993, p. 37, and Testimony of Robin Armani before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Public Hearing on Commercial Remote Sensing, November 17. 1993.

Jan Goldman (2006) Ethics of Spying: A Reader for the Intelligence Professional, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006.

Rushworth Kidder, (1995) How Good People Make Tough Choices (New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1995).