One of the requirements of the law of the United States, is that if one is an agent of a foreign power, you must register this fact. If you don't, you are criminally liable under some U.S. statute or other. One wonders if other governments should make the same requirements of the United States...at least that would solve the problem of making C.I.A agents somewhat nervous of going through border controls and customs. They could then breathe free, and not claim any stress or other related bonuses of foreign travel, and save the USG pots of money.
Of course there are friendly states and UKASA states or 5 i's as they are called, where there may be reciprocal...or is it recursive agreements between the signatories. which allow those allied states to inform one another's home secretaries that they are passing through...and the citizens of each country is none the wiser. Citizens aren't important really, they just provide taxes so that governments can do as they like under the name of democracy and mutual aid. it is all about co-operation, and mutual understanding really. Like the UK and the C.I.A. on rendition of foreign nationals (terrorists of course), for instance where a trust is established, and that none of them will do anything naughty or against each others laws, like investigating who is on what aeroplane and going where. Isn't ignorance just bliss? One can deny it in parliament or congress with so much ease...Isn't the concept of "plausible denial" a wonderful thing? Why...I don't know if it is better than a surgical or clinical operation...the world is so full of science these days...it works its way into politics and military strategies too... The difficulty of course is where such a policy comes to those outside of 5 i's...There may not be those man in the mirror agreements, and agents of a foreign power, if they don't declare themselves will be most unwelcome...Like Russia or China. And then there is another aspect to the problem, what happens if the "agent of a foreign power" breaks a law of the host country and is prosecuted...Ah! Well! Here the good ole British have the answer....The "Get out of Jail Free" card in the game of Monopoly. That solves lots of problems, gets agents back home...though it costs a lot of money of course...but who cares...John Doe, the taxpayer pays out without any protest whatsover...like a nice little democratic republican that he is...
ATB Sooty...the sock puppet extraordinaire... ;-)P.S. John Young tried to register Cryptome as the agent of a foreign power, but his request was refused. For the life of me, I cannot remember why...;-)
