This is not an issue that concerns only journalists. Every American who travels abroad is endangered by the CIA policy. Business executives, Peace Corps workers and ordinary tourists come under suspicion from governments and groups who fear the influence of American intelligence . Most such fears are unfounded, but the CIA policy feeds paranoia in other countries. The policy is a vestige of the Cold War, when government routinely recruited journalists and other citizens for intelligence work.
Many former journalists bear responsibility for willingly participating in such schemes.
However, representatives of national press organizations are now unanimous in their opposition to the CIA's policy. The CIA should not be allowed to recruit journalists for spying activity, nor should it permit agents to pose as journalists. Otherwise, the safety of American citizens abroad and the integrity of the Constitution at home are left to the whim of the CIA director and his deputy.