HISTORY This Week A Mole in the CIA
Feb 17, 2020
In this engaging podcast, journalist Pete Earley discusses Aldrich Ames, a CIA operative turned double agent who sold secrets to the KGB. Earley delves into Ames's surprisingly ordinary life and the psychological motivations behind his betrayal. He explores how personal struggles and romantic entanglements influenced Ames's decisions, revealing the complexities of loyalty and treachery. The conversation sheds light on the vulnerabilities within intelligence operations, raising questions about what drives someone to spy against their own country.
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Dramatic Arrest On A Quiet Street
- Aldrich Ames was arrested on February 21, 1994 after FBI agents watched him leave his house and swarmed his car.
- He had been a CIA officer for 31 years and a mole for nine, ultimately blamed for at least ten agent deaths.
Childhood Fascination Led To CIA Career
- Ames grew up idolizing secrecy after learning his father worked for the CIA and played roles from a young age.
- He joined CIA training in 1967 and learned recruitment tradecraft, which later enabled his betrayals.
Affair, Debt, And The First Decision To Sell
- In Mexico Ames met Maria Rosario, began an affair, and later married her, creating financial pressure from divorce and lifestyle costs.
- Facing debts, Ames rationalized selling secrets as an easy source of cash and justification to the Soviets.
