Bloomberg Surveillance · Thursday, October 1, 2026
Jack Devine, a former CIA officer, discusses the inherent risks within the intelligence business, particularly the potential for betrayal and the loss of life, referencing the case of Aldrich Ames. He notes that while the methods of information gathering and integration have evolved dramatically with technology, the fundamental risks and the need for human intelligence remain.
“It's inherent in the business, Tom. In fact, there was a case that the Justice Department just released about a group of Russians operating in the United States with plans towards disrupting activities in the United States and possible assassination. It's pretty old World War II fashion activities. But in the case of Rick Ames, there's so many in history, the Cambridge Five that betrayed people.”
“In Ames' case, he was disaffected, and what he did is he walked into the Russian embassy. He thought he could handle them. He thought he could give them a little bit. The second time he walked out, he gave up those names, 11 of them. They were all killed. So that risk is inherent in the spy business, and that's why I think all of us in it spend a lot of time trying to protect those people. But the best way to catch a spy is to have a spy inside the system. So that's part of our.”