David Dodwell

Outside In | Why the shadowy world of spying is back in the spotlight

The world is seeing a renewed focus on spying amid heightened geopolitical stress, alarming wars, new invasive technologies and national security fears

Engaging in espionage is a dangerous, expensive habit few countries can truly afford, and we must pray all of them choose to engage in it responsibly

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Concerns about spying and other espionage activities have surged in recent years as governments around the world, from the United States and Britain to China and Russia, have engaged in highly public campaigns to unearth foreign agents they believe to be in their midst. Photo: Reuters

David Dodwell

Published: 8:30pm, 24 May 2024Updated: 9:59pm, 24 May 2024

Whether spying can claim to be the world’s second-oldest profession after prostitution is highly contestable. But according to at least two sources, it has been skulking around for quite some time.

First, the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament: “Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, ‘Go view the land, even Jericho’. And they went, and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

Second, and much more recently, William Burns, head of the CIA and one of the US’ most seasoned diplomats: “For as long as countries have kept secrets from one another, they have tried to steal them from one another.”

Recently, there has been remarkable resurgence in concern about espionage. This is in response to geopolitical stress, wars being fought in Ukraine and Gaza, the explosion of new technologies which empower the world’s spymasters and the global contagion of national security paranoia.

The espionage business is back in vogue. Perhaps not yet in the likes of James Bond films or John le Carre novels, but these might come soon.

Seemingly wherever you look, espionage is in the headlines. Michael Jonsson, deputy research director at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, wrote in Politico: “It’s starting to look like the 2020s may well turn into Europe’s ‘decade of the spy’ – much like the 1980s was America’s.”