Intelligence Dilemma? Contemporary Counter-terrorism in a Liberal Democracy

Abstract

The post-9/11 period and its emphasis on tackling terrorism has had a fundamental impact on the business of intelligence, not least in raising some very difficult ethical issues to the forefront of debate. Many of these issues are intertwined with the business of ‘policing globalisation' in the modern era. The changes and developments offer new opportunities in Intelligence Studies for exploring ethics, and the role of the intelligence function within a modern liberal democracy. The questions posed by the new threat picture for such states offer something of an ‘intelligence dilemma', which must balance the provision of good security with respecting civil liberties and ensuring the continued support of the population for security and intelligence policy. This article examines the intelligence dilemma within the framework of five dimensions: globalisation, risk and resilience; the question of a ‘surveillance society'; the ‘intermestic' challenge in the new threat picture; difficulties around the use of covert action and cyber capabilities; and partnership risks. The article suggests that a deeper analysis of these issues represents opportunities for taking Intelligence Studies in new directions.