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Writing Assignment #3
“Putting Intelligence to Work”
Due: Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Preamble:
The Middle East and South Asia sometimes seem like a “hall of mirrors” when it comes to figuring out what everyone’s up to. When you peer down the hall, you see lots of images and events, but it’s hard to know which ones are real and which are reflections of something else. Therefore, it’s sometime difficult for U.S. intelligence officers to know who the “enemy” is and who is a “friend.” If you’re running an intelligence operation, whom do you “target” in these circumstances? Whom can you trust?
Choose topic:
Choose from among the following countries. Choose just one of these countries. (If you have your own idea for one that’s not on the list, don’t hesitate to ask me about it!)
- Yemen - friend or foe?
- Pakistan - friend or foe?
- Iraq - friend or foe?
- Saudi Arabia - friend or foe?
- Jordan - friend or foe?
- Turkey - friend or foe?
- Syria - friend or foe?
- Egypt - friend or foe?
Write:
Imagine yourself the CIA Station Chief in the country you choose. Using resources available on the Global Agenda web site and others you find, write a 4-6 page memo to headquarters in Washington explaining why you think your country should be considered “friendly” (or “unfriendly”) from an intelligence-gathering point of view… and why. Don’t limit your view merely to current events. Consider some of the recent history of the U.S. relationship with the country you choose (be prepared to go back, say, 20-25 years, because your agents – and theirs – have been operating for at least that long).
Don’t hesitate to use the web to explore news media in your chosen country.
None of these cases is “crystal clear,” so don’t be surprised if you have trouble deciding how to characterize your country choice. You may have to make tough decisions, or even to decide to “work both sides of the fence” in your chosen country.
You must cite your sources on a bibliography page.
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