--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The difficulties of conducting espionage…" description: "\"The difficulties of conducting espionage against the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union were such that historically the Agency had backed away from the t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png" --- # The difficulties of conducting espionage against the… ![“The difficulties of conducting espionage against the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union were such that historically the Agency had backed away from the task.” quote by Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png) > “The difficulties of conducting espionage against the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union were such that historically the Agency had backed away from the task.” [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Espionage against the USSR was so risky that the CIA often avoided it. **In simple terms:** CIA avoided Soviet espionage due to extreme risk. Key Takeaway Assess risk before action. Themes espionage history risk cold war intelligence Mood cautious analytical Type historical strategic When to use this quote - cold war - intelligence operations - policy decisions Key Concepts strategic analysis operational security political calculus Questions to Reflect On - What factors justify high‑risk intelligence work? - How can agencies balance risk and reward? A Different Perspective Risk assessment may overlook strategic opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Espionage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/espionage/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) ## Related quotes > [Our Soviet espionage efforts had virtually never, or had very seldom, produced any worthwhile political or economic intelligence on the Soviet Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/our-soviet-espionage-efforts-had-virtually-never-or-had-very-seldom/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Because there are little to no consequences for conducting cyberattacks, criminals and nation-states are becoming bolder in their threats and behavior. Russia, China, North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/because-there-are-little-to-no-consequences-for-conducting/) [Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/) > [Let's say a Soviet exchange student back in the '70s would go back and tell the KGB about people and places and things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/let-s-say-a-soviet-exchange-student-back-in-the-70s-would-go-back-and/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I found that our Soviet espionage efforts had virtually never, or had very seldom, produced any worthwhile political or economic intelligence on the Soviet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-found-that-our-soviet-espionage-efforts-had-virtually-never-or-had/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Espionage, for the most part, involves finding a person who knows something or has something that you can induce them secretly to give to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/espionage-for-the-most-part-involves-finding-a-person-who-knows/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [An espionage organization is a collector: it collects raw information. That gets processed by a machinery that is supposed to resolve its reliability, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/an-espionage-organization-is-a-collector-it-collects-raw-information/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The human spy, in terms of the American espionage effort, had never been terribly pertinent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-human-spy-in-terms-of-the-american-espionage-effort-had-never/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [There are so many things a large intelligence espionage organization can do to justify its existence, that people can get promotions for, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/there-are-so-many-things-a-large-intelligence-espionage-organization/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [“Jed was used to isolation. His face was like some kind of cul-de-sac. It said NO THROUGH ROAD to most people. Confronted with him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-thomson/jed-was-used-to-isolation-his-face-was-like-some-kind-of-cul-de-sac/) [Rupert Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-thomson/) > [“Thank you for watching over her, you piece of shit. Thanks for that, if nothing else.” She backed away, repulsed by the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-mcmahon/thank-you-for-watching-over-her-you-piece-of-shit-thanks-for-that-if/) Gary McMahon > [I don't even have many friends anymore because I backed away from them. When things went wrong for me I didn't want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-hutton/i-don-t-even-have-many-friends-anymore-because-i-backed-away-from/) [Betty Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-hutton/) > [“You’re the piece of my puzzle that’s been missing. And I don’t know how I’m going to do this without you. I don’t think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-zolendz/you-re-the-piece-of-my-puzzle-that-s-been-missing-and-i-don-t-know/) [Christine Zolendz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-zolendz/) > [“He backed away from me, clutching the phone to his chest. “What?” “Gimme the phone,” I commanded, holding out my hand. His head dropped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/he-backed-away-from-me-clutching-the-phone-to-his-chest-what-gimme/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“Oh, wow." "What do you think?" "I tried to imagine, but--I mean...it's so much more--" "Think it's large enough to keep you satisfied for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hunter/oh-wow-what-do-you-think-i-tried-to-imagine-but-i-mean-it-s-so-much/) [Elizabeth Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hunter/) > [“Shaking my head, I backed away from her. “I need a refund.” She frowned. “On what?” “On you,” I told her. “Item not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-c-jones/shaking-my-head-i-backed-away-from-her-i-need-a-refund-she-frowned-on/) Christina C. Jones ## More by Aldrich Ames > [I said in court a long time ago that I didn't see that the Soviet Union was significantly helped by the information I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-said-in-court-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-see-that-the-soviet/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nation-which-places-such/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I came into the Agency with a set of ideas and attitudes that were quite typical of people coming into the Agency at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-came-into-the-agency-with-a-set-of-ideas-and-attitudes-that-were/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [When I got the money, the whole burden descended on me, and the realization of what I had done. And it led me then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/when-i-got-the-money-the-whole-burden-descended-on-me-and-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The FBI, to its credit in a self-serving sort of way, rejects the routine use of the polygraph on its own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-fbi-to-its-credit-in-a-self-serving-sort-of-way-rejects-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The Soviet Union did not achieve victory over the West, so was my information inadequate to help them to victory, or did it play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-soviet-union-did-not-achieve-victory-over-the-west-so-was-my/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The human spy, in terms of the American espionage effort, had never been terribly pertinent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-human-spy-in-terms-of-the-american-espionage-effort-had-never/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Our Soviet espionage efforts had virtually never, or had very seldom, produced any worthwhile political or economic intelligence on the Soviet Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/our-soviet-espionage-efforts-had-virtually-never-or-had-very-seldom/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The national security state has many unfair and cruel weapons in its arsenal, but that of junk science is one which can be fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-national-security-state-has-many-unfair-and-cruel-weapons-in-its/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [In my professional work with the Agency, by the late '70s, I had come to question the value of a great deal of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/in-my-professional-work-with-the-agency-by-the-late-70s-i-had-come-to/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [My little scam in April '85 went like this: Give me $50,000; here's some names of some people we've recruited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/my-little-scam-in-april-85-went-like-this-give-me-50-000-here-s-some/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [There are so many things a large intelligence espionage organization can do to justify its existence, that people can get promotions for, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/there-are-so-many-things-a-large-intelligence-espionage-organization/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Foreign Ministry guys don't become agents. Party officials, the Foreign Ministry nerds, tend not to volunteer to Western intelligence agencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/foreign-ministry-guys-don-t-become-agents-party-officials-the-foreign/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I knew quite well, when I gave the names of our agents in the Soviet Union, that I was exposing them to the full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-knew-quite-well-when-i-gave-the-names-of-our-agents-in-the-soviet/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [When I handed over the names and compromised so many CIA agents in the Soviet Union, I had come to the conclusion that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/when-i-handed-over-the-names-and-compromised-so-many-cia-agents-in/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) [Explore all 38 Aldrich Ames quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) ## More Agency quotes > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In 1949 there was a new thing called Television, to which my agency and advisers opposed as a performance medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/in-1949-there-was-a-new-thing-called-television-to-which-my-agency/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I know that God loves us. He allows us to exercise our moral agency even when we misuse it. He permits us to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-know-that-god-loves-us-he-allows-us-to-exercise-our-moral-agency/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [I was taking all prints and I brought them to the Magnum meetings, trying the old Josef Koudelka trick: Give them to photographers, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-van-agtmael/i-was-taking-all-prints-and-i-brought-them-to-the-magnum-meetings/) [Peter van Agtmael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-van-agtmael/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [In most agencies, account executives outnumber the copywriters two to one. If you were a dairy farmer, would you employ twice as many milkers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-most-agencies-account-executives-outnumber-the-copywriters-two-to/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Free agency is a gift of God…The world does not comprehend the significance of that divine gift to the individual. It is as inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/free-agency-is-a-gift-of-god-the-world-does-not-comprehend-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You cannot have 300-some million Americans - and really, right, the global citizenry be at risk of having their phone conversations intercepted with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/you-cannot-have-300-some-million-americans-and-really-right-the/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [I do a lot of writing in my capacity as the creative director for a marketing agency. These days, though, I'm trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/i-do-a-lot-of-writing-in-my-capacity-as-the-creative-director-for-a/) [Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/) > [Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/unfortunately-corruption-is-widespread-in-government-agencies-and/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) Browse all 1,225 Agency quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The difficulties of conducting espionage against the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union were such that historically the Agency had backed away from the task.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aldrich Ames" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage-against-the-soviet-union-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agency" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage-against-the-soviet-union-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/aldrich-ames-16838_agency_the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage_2173439.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The difficulties of conducting espionage against the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union were such that…” — Aldrich Ames", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aldrich Ames", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The difficulties of conducting espionage against...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage-against-the-soviet-union-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-difficulties-of-conducting-espionage-against-the-soviet-union-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```