Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying

I bought this book because I meet the author at a party. It does not disappoint. A must read.

This book is a real mind twister. If you have ever wanted to look at the world through the eyes of an intelligence officer, this book will walk your through the many moral conflicts that you will have to end up weighing for yourself. Read this book with friends so that you can then discuss the various scenarios that are proposed in the book and debate how you would handle each situation.

Very good book by a career CIA Officer who rose to the top ranks. It is a frank discussion of that life. It clearly sets out ethical dilemmas that give readers insight on difficult ethical decisions with moral consequence and security impact. In this day of “rear view mirror moralists,” it is very timely. It ought to be required reading for those lightly informed who pass judgment on the Agency’s actions.

First a word on the physical quality of the book: while the paper and binding are high quality, mine was poorly assembled. Pages were not cut properly and I had to seperate them from each other myself, tearing one or two in the process. My 4-star review is on the quality of the writing and information. For the book's physical state, I'd give two stars, but maybe I just had bad luck. On to the important part - Olson has put together a very remarkable book, one that asks moral and ethical questions without declaring the answers. The point is for the reader to have to examine his or her own preconceptions. There are countless opinions on intelligence work, running the gamut from "It's completely unjustified and dirty," to a sort of all's-fair-in-war-and-espionage mentality, and everything in between. There are some that hold the idealistic goal of open borders with no need for sneaking around and having a look at other people's mail, so to speak. In the world we live in, however, that's not reality. Not if you have any desire for the security and advancement of your nation, anyway. So if we must play this particular game, someone has to decide how we'll play it. Generally speaking, America has long prided herself on occupying the moral high ground. But it's no secret that in government, intelligence included, this is not always the case. Olson lays out important questions and ethical dilemmas intelligence officers may find themselves facing, but this is also a book for the general citizenry. Americans tend to distrust the Intelligence Community (IC). They'd prefer it operate in the shadows, out of sight and mind, and do not want to be bothered with questions of its conduct. Yet the Community is collectively crucified in the wake of operational failure. Americans demand omnipotence from the IC and are outraged when it doesn't deliver. We demand total security, but everything comes at a cost. How far are Americans willing to let the IC go? American tax dollars pay for American intelligence work, so if in no other way all of us are involved at that level at least. The moral questions of spy work are therefore worth asking. Olson is not an apologist but nor is he an accuser. He's a proud former participant who served his country, believes in the overall good of his missions, but is not blind to the darker nature of his former profession. This book should be required reading for any considering employment in the Intelligence Community.

Olson does an outstanding job in showing the very nature of questionable motives and moral issues within the book. Issues are made up to show two and sometimes three different sides to the example by select staff and practitioners to include a few students that are very thought provoking. James Olson has a unique way of explaining details and connecting with the reader. Making it easy to understand the example and form your own decision before reading the feedback.

Professor Olson is the most engaging professor I have ever known through 13 years of collegiate level training. He is a passionate hero, an amazing story teller, and a gifted discussion leader. Those attributes blend well within his book as he tells the story through his eyes while blending viewpoints from others to create a fascinating text. A wonderful read for scholars, historians, and any student of government service.

Mr Olson informs and challenges our preconceptions on spying and the role of intelligence gathering in today’s world. Highly recommend

Should be mandatory reading for anyone in law enforcement, especially federal level also should be used in any behavioral science class.

I ordered a used book and I’m happy with the choice. It came in very good shape and well packed. :)

I enjoyed this book. It made me think, hard. While it is written from a US perspective it gave me a moral mental workout as I decided what I would do in various situations and then compared that to the views of various Americans. I am glad that I bought it. I also learnt a lot on how nations spy on each other. So why only 4 stars? Well the book has about 10 pages unprinted, but they are at the back, some on the contributors and part of the index.