Spies—They Are a-Changin'

If, like me, you're a lover of espionage films, you might fancy yourself able to spot the typical spy from a mile away. It's usually a white man, native born, who gets into trouble with booze, gambling, or hookers, and to support his habit or break free of his debts, agrees to trade secrets for cash. He might be military, but could just as easily be civilian. He doesn't have many foreign connections, least of all to the Russians, that most lucrative of employers, so he tosses a note over an embassy wall or slips a letter under a guarded gate, offering his services to the bad guys. Picture Sean Penn in "The Falcon and the Snowman" or Chris Cooper in "Breach."

That's the archetype, and according to an unclassified report (.pdf) released last month by the Defense Personnel Security Research Center, which studies the characteristics of American spies, it used to be largely true—that is, until around 1990. After the Cold War, the biographical details and motivations of the typical traitor began a dramatic shift, reflecting larger changes in the world's political alignment, advances in communications, growth in international travel, and globalization.

A summary of how today's spies differ from yesterday's, according to the report:

Generally older today than during the Cold War, indicating a "graying of the American spy"

More educated; twice as many now hold advanced degrees as during the Cold War

More likely to be naturalized citizens with family living abroad, foreign business and professional connections, and foreign cultural ties

More commonly civilians—either government employees or private contractors—than members of the uniformed military

More likely to hold security clearances, although few held them or were even directly associated with the profession of espionage when they began spying

More likely to volunteer than to be recruited by a foreign intelligence service

No longer spying for Russia, but primarily for Middle Eastern countries, Cuba, and Al Qaeda

More often spying for ideological reasons or from a sense of "divided loyalty;" few except payment for their services

More likely to spend time in prison after being caught, but generally serving shorter terms

Photo used under a Creative Commons license from Hugo*.

Comments

The study wasn't released by PERSEREC. It was disclosed today in Secrecy News.

Posted by: Rudiger on 04/07/08 at 1:53 PM Respond

Cuba and Al Qaeda. Releasing this criteria with out providing specific instances where this criteria applies does little more than create an impression that the U.S. is under threat. While I am not denying that a typical spy might fit this criteria or that spying exists, this does nothing other than perpetuate a stereotype and also reinforces the actions taken by the U.S. government as it tries to "protect" itself. People who are subject to extraordinary renditions I am sure fit this criteria and releasing these details, in a way, justifies the actions the U.S. government takes.

Posted by: Derek on 04/07/08 at 2:24 PM Respond

Actually, most spies DO have security clearances. Oh wait, you mean spies AGAINST the United States. I think there is a lot more spying FOR the United States.

Posted by: Gary on 04/08/08 at 5:02 AM Respond

I can only imagine what a real NSA agent looks like. But I do imagine a comical overcoat stiff with a cup and string tied into a conversation with kids on the playground telling "secrets" into their cup and string.

Ohhh if it were just that innocent.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/donar/2310693918/

Posted by: David Donar on 04/08/08 at 8:16 AM Respond

* modern spies facilitate groups like al qaeda to further their orwellian agenda

Posted by: mind on 04/08/08 at 12:28 PM Respond