The Craft of Objectivity

In view of the security conditions of CIA activity, Mr. Dulles’ story is necessarily limited to information which is already public property. He lightens the heavy fare of intelligence routine with examples of success and failure from recent history; but he avoids the great intelligence questions of our time. Nevertheless, in a perverse and unintended way, he has shed important light on those questions. The tenor of his comment suggests that Allen Dulles has not grasped the fundamentals of his craft.

Intelligence is above all else the craft of objectivity. Its perfection demands imagination and comprehensive knowledge and indomitable purpose—but above all, objectivity. For intelligence is the art of deception in practice, and no man is more easily deceived than the one who embraces illusion. Prejudice is the fabric of intelligence failures.

TL

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Thomas A. Lane

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In view of the security conditions of CIA activity, Mr. Dulles’ story is necessarily limited to information which is already public property. He lightens the heavy fare of intelligence routine with examples of success and failure from recent history; but he avoids the great intelligence questions of our time. Nevertheless, in a perverse and unintended way, he has shed important light on those questions. The tenor of his comment suggests that Allen Dulles has not grasped the fundamentals of his craft.

Intelligence is above all else the craft of objectivity. Its perfection demands imagination and comprehensive knowledge and indomitable purpose—but above all, objectivity. For intelligence is the art of deception in practice, and no man is more easily deceived than the one who embraces illusion. Prejudice is the fabric of intelligence failures.