Why We Can’t Catch Osama
CBS has the story of two Cold War spies who are trying to sue the CIA for reneging on a promise to provide lifetime financial support.
The couple tried to defect from their Eastern Bloc country but the CIA promised them that if they became spies they would be brought out later and given new identities and a paycheck for life.
The couple kept up their side of the bargain, but the CIA has decided to cut costs, including the couple’s pension.
Espionage is a very strange business. It is built on lying, cheating, stealing, etc., but underlying that is a foundation of trust between agents and their handlers. When an agent is burned, the handler is worthless to his/her agency. When an agency fails to live up to its agreements, no one will work for them.
The CIA doesn’t pay its bills, Osama bin Laden does. Who will the shadowy people in Asia who have the information everyone needs trust?
