[26 September 2022] Arguably no individual deserves the title of ‘doyen’ of intelligence studies more than Loch Johnson. An active participant in the management of intelligence in the 1970s, as well as a thinker and scholar in subsequent decades, Johnson’s meticulous work has shaped the thinking of countless students, practitioners and academics in our field.
The most recent issue of Intelligence and National Security contains an extensive interview with Loch Johnson, which was conducted by Mark Phythian, Professor of Politics at the University of Leicester. Phythian asks Johnson questions that span the length of his career, ranging from his days as research assistant for Senator Frank Church, who headed the Church Committee’s investigation of the United States Intelligence Community, to his prior and subsequent academic pursuits.
Among several topics in this interview, Johnson touches on the subject of accountability of intelligence activities, which is a central theme of his research. He posits that, in order to be effective, accountability measures for intelligence activities must be based on a number of key pillars. First, those with executive power must be “especially honest”. Second, legislators who review the activities of the executive branch must be steadfast in their oversight. This must include oversight of the budget of intelligence agencies. Third, the media must be “vibrant [and] inquisitive” when examining the exercise of governmental powers. Finally, the public must understand and take “all of these requirements seriously”. Moreover, it must be a public that “punishes at the polls those in office who legally or ethically violate America’s law and moral traditions”.
Johnson goes on to say that, if those ingredients are not present in the affairs of state, even a country with “a vaunted Constitution” and a strong body of laws, like the United States, is susceptible to illegality by its intelligence apparatus.
Johnson’s comments are incredibly wise. They come at a time when numerous democratic governments, including Spain, Denmark, Greece, Switzerland, and others, are facing crises of varying magnitudes that relate to the activities of their intelligence agencies. Johnson goes on to warn that intelligence accountability is becoming increasingly crucial, as “we find ourselves living in a world where democratic norms are challenged by leaders around the world”. We hope that Johnson’s warning echoes across the democratic world. [EIA]