Changes

==Counterintelligence==

==Counterintelligence==

The objective of [[counterintelligence]] is to identify an intelligence operative.  However, the intelligence operative's objective is not simply to evade detection; he has a more important mission to perform, and avoiding counterintelligence detection is just part of performing that mission.  Once the identification has been made by counterintelligence, the operative is not just arrested, tried, and carted off to jail as in other crimes; a decision must be made, and he usually is temporarilly left in place so as not to tip off how he came to be identified, which would have the effect of compromising other counterintelligence operations.  

The objective of [[counterintelligence]] (CI) is to identify an intelligence operative.  However, the intelligence operative's objective is not simply to evade detection; he has a more important mission to perform, and avoiding counterintelligence detection is just part of performing that mission.  Once the identification has been made by counterintelligence, the operative is not just arrested, tried, and carted off to jail as in other crimes; a decision must be made, and he usually is temporarilly left in place so as not to tip off how he came to be identified, which would have the effect of compromising other counterintelligence operations.  

Nonetheless, an identified operative must be cut off from access to further secure information, without letting him know that his [[Cover_(intelligence)|cover]] is blown, then fed an elaborate stream of credible [[disinformation]].  Then an assessment must be made as to the extent of the damage and what information has been compromised.  Eventually, the mole and his handlers will realize their operation has been compromised because of the useless disinformation being passed; but this step buys time for the difficult process of "walking the dog backwards" to determine what has been compromised within the target organization.  That is the point at which an arrest is usually made.  Sometimes, however, the process of feeding disinformation can be useful, so a discovered agent may be left in place for years.

Nonetheless, an identified operative must be cut off from access to further secure information, without letting him know that his [[Cover_(intelligence)|cover]] is blown, then fed an elaborate stream of credible [[disinformation]].  Then an assessment must be made as to the extent of the damage and what information has been compromised.  Eventually, the mole and his handlers will realize their operation has been compromised because of the useless disinformation being passed; but this step buys time for the difficult process of "walking the dog backwards" to determine what has been compromised within the target organization.  That is the point at which an arrest is usually made.  Sometimes, however, the process of feeding disinformation can be useful, so a discovered agent may be left in place for years.

Occassionally attempts are made to "turn" a mole; that is, gain his cooperation without exposing to his controllers that his cover has been blown.  Turning a mole can make him an unwilling agent of either side, either to continue the feed of disinformation, or being coerced at threat of imprisonment to betray his compatriot organization.  In the famous case of [[Arkady Schevchenko]], a Soviet [[Diplomacy|diplomat]] to the [[United Nations]] who asked to [[defector|defect]], rather than accept his defection the CIA required he remain in place and engage in espionage.  Schevchenko was a professional diplomat, not a spy, and he found the stressful work nerve-wracking.

Occassionally attempts are made to "turn" a mole; that is, gain his cooperation without exposing to his controllers that his cover has been blown.  Turning a mole can make him an unwilling agent of either side, either to continue the feed of disinformation, or being coerced at threat of imprisonment to betray his compatriot organization.  In the famous case of [[Arkady Schevchenko]], a Soviet [[Diplomacy|diplomat]] to the [[United Nations]] who asked to [[defector|defect]], rather than accept his defection the CIA required he remain in place and engage in espionage.  Schevchenko was a professional diplomat, not a spy, and he found the stressful work nerve-wracking.

===MICE===

===MICE===

The extensive use of cutouts, so long as they are trusted and reliable persons, can become a long chain of individuals.  This performs another purpose, similiar to the extensive use of "front organizations";  by their sheer number, it becomes a shell game with counterintelligence investigators, who have finite and limited resources.  When suspicion arises, the large number of persons and organizations connected to the conspiracy can devour endless hours and cost, which has the effect of slowing down the process of exposing an espionage organization.

The extensive use of cutouts, so long as they are trusted and reliable persons, can become a long chain of individuals.  This performs another purpose, similiar to the extensive use of "front organizations";  by their sheer number, it becomes a shell game with counterintelligence investigators, who have finite and limited resources.  When suspicion arises, the large number of persons and organizations connected to the conspiracy can devour endless hours and cost, which has the effect of slowing down the process of exposing an espionage organization.

== External link ==

== External link ==