A very personal word and "coming out" to the world of intelligence
This newsletter is more special than others. This newsletter is personal.
It's almost like a “coming out”.
Intelligence is a misunderstood field.
Most people have no idea what it really looks like: the grey zone, the moral ambiguity, the silence. And for those of us who work in the shadows of the shadows, it’s even harder.
We don’t have the flashy titles to back us up.
We don’t get to wave a flag or show our credentials. We chose to act where others can’t. But that choice comes with a burden. We can’t talk about what we’ve done, even if it shaped history.
We can’t explain our expertise, even though it’s unmatched.
Only those who have worked alongside us know our worth.
So stepping into the light, like I’ve done a year ago, is a huge deal.
It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary, because the stories from this world need to be told - not for fame, but to shed light on the reality of what it takes to operate in the shadows.
Who are the "bastard spies"?
There is a category of professionals rarely spoken of in our field - those who operate in the shadows of the shadows. They are not celebrated by government agencies or recognized by society, yet their contributions are indispensable.
I call them the "bastard spies."
Unlike agents of the CIA, MI6, or Mossad, they do not bear the official insignia of a state institution. They are not granted the recognition that comes with serving under the banner of a nation.
Yet, the missions they undertake are no less significant, the risks they face no less real.