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An Assessment of the Aldrich H. Ames Espionage Case and its Implications for U.S. Intelligence
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Abstract
The Senate Select Committee investigated the conditions that allowed CIA employee, Aldrich Hazen Ames, to compromise more than 100 intelligence operations over a 9 year period, and provided recommendations to strengthen security measures for counterintelligence operations. One of the largest issues was that counter intelligence functions in the CIA were not prioritized and did not attract high caliber officers, nor did they punish behavioral problems or insubordination. As such, the report recommended implementing promotions and incentives to attract more suitable candidates with better training, alongside enforcing an "up or out" policy that made suitability problems a matter of official record that are taken into account when considering promotions, assignments, or termination. Similarly, Ames had ties to Soviet officials that were reported upon his employment, resulting in a recommendation that the CIA director should revise policies to better supervise, control, coordinate, and document, activities with other officials. Furthermore, the committee advocated for reform in the system used to assign roles and access to intelligence information that would provide more strict oversight and systems of overwatch at multiple levels throughout the process.
Date
1994-11-01
Document Type
Senate Staff Report
Serial Number
103-90.Sprt
Document Length
141 pages
Congress
103
Relation
DOI
Keywords
Staff Reports
PAP Major Code
16: Defense
PAP Minor Code
1603: Military Intelligence, CIA, Espionage