Rules for Spies, Ooops

Back in the 70s I inherited a few folks who had been in MI5 in earlier times. Traveling around with them, between scotches and awful cigarettes, I heard many a tale. But I was always told about the three rules of spydom.

They were simply:

1. Trust no one.

2. Never put it in writing.

3. Always have a second exit.

Now I had an Irish friend who expanded in the first; Never trust anyone, not even your father. I suspect the Mossad would have said "Mother" but one gets the point.

Now the recent flap in DC is somewhat startling. It seems to have violated all three rules at once. Trust no one, not even your biographer. Never put in writing, especially in your gmail account. And where was that second exit?

What is especially strange is that affairs are more common than tennis lessons in DC. It seems that power has some strange effect. Money, as in New York, is more exhausting and much less tuned in on the fancies of the DC market.

But also strangely, back in the 70s, I knew a retired DDA when the Agency decided that gays could stay as long as everyone knew about it. Sort of the opposite of "Don't ask, don't tell." It was "Ask whatever, and I tell you all.". It worked, once out in the open you were no longer a target. Thus affairs in that environment were a non issue as long as everyone knew. Thus an even more strange result.

Thus one suspects that in this world of spydom, where nothing is ever what it appears to be, the others shoes will inevitably drop, one at a time.