The concept of ethical obligation
GEORGE Tenet and the Last Great Days of the CIA

PADM 500: Modern Public Administration

August 2, 2013

Identify four (4) cross-coded ethical dilemmas facing former CIA Director George Tenet and assess their impact on his leadership abilities.
During George Tenet tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, there were several ethical dilemmas he faced, among which most significantly were the violations of national and international human right policies. George Tenet was also faced with the ethical dilemma of being straightforward to the people he worked with, especially his field officers, and most essentially the nation as at large. He knew all along that the statements about Saddam Hussein and chemical weapons were a fluke, but went along with it and cost American families over four thousand lives. Additionally, his role as meditator in the meeting between former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also an ethical concern. Professionally, this role was more diplomat than chief spymaster, which made many insiders “distinctly uncomfortable” (Posner 1998; Tenet 2007, 74). Others in the administration were pleased with the idea considering it as unethical despite the fact that Tenet tried to explain that nobody else could act better in that position. This threatened his leadership due to the fact that individuals were beginning to lack trust in his leadership.
Analyze four (4) ways in which Tenet addressed the prioritization of ethical concerns.
George Tenet utilized diverse approach to address the prioritization of his ethical concerns amongst which notably was the implementation of CIA policies.
As the role of mediator for Yasser Arafat and Benjamin Netanyahu, the presidents of Palestine and Israel respectively, he stated that “We are the one entity both sides could trust”. (Tenet 2007, 64). When Tent spoke about this situation, it was obvious that he had good leadership qualities; he tried to make the insiders think that his way was better than any other way. (Hmukasey 2011). This statement by Tenet made some Washington insiders uncomfortable. Tenet addressed the Washington insiders concerns regarding his actions by displaying good leadership qualities by reassuring those concerned that there was no better way that the way he chose.
Another prioritization by Tenet was during the Clinton Administration, the threats from Osama Bin Laden encouraged George Tenet to propose the awareness of capturing him to the administration’s top officials including President Clinton. As the CIA administrator, Tent stated that the country was at war, and did not want any expense spared when fighting this war both in personnel and other resource means (Stillman 2010, 486). Tent had good intentions for the country, he was concerned about the country not being prepared for an attack.
On May 11, 1988 the Indian testing program was implemented, which was a surprise to the U.S. intelligence community, Tenet warned Senator Richard Shelby that “We didn’t have a clue” (Stillman 2010, 486). This was a rare moment in which the truth was told, and this helped the government and this prevented the administration from reacting swiftly.
Following a year, the United States intelligence furnished with unsubstantiated intelligence resulted in the bombarding of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade by U.S fighter Jets. As administrator of the CIA, George Tenet took responsibility for the erroneous intelligence report and findings. (Stillman 2010, 486)
Identify and Explain Four Strategies Used In Competing Ethical Obligations In Relation To the Many Intergovernmental Organizations That Overlapped His Office
Four strategies that were used in competing ethical obligations in relation to the many intergovernmental organizations that overlapped Tenet’s office. These strategies were used to guarantee that all the corporate activities were legal, ethical, and fitted within all the approved supervisory guidelines and policies. Ethic strategies are used to provide directions to ensure that developments are ongoing both for individual and organizational image which are designed to be accomplished through the ethics programs and training of employees. Ethics strategies are also used as a means for monitoring and regulating organizational activities, this methodology helps minimize both rate of legal and ethical violations. And in instances where ethical programs are not in place, individual board members are held accountable for ethical gaps.
These strategies were used to ensure that all the corporate activities were legal, ethical, and fitted within all the approved regulatory guidelines and policies. Ethic strategies are used to provide directions to ensure that developments are ongoing both for individual and organizational image which are designed to be accomplished through the ethics programs and training of employees. Ethics strategies is also used as a means for monitoring and policing organizational activities, as this approach helps minimize both rate of legal and ethical violations. And in instances where ethical programs are not in place, individual board members are held accountable for ethical lapses.
Communication strategy is likewise a strategy that is used to assist in building sustainable and ethical culture, and this method involves communicating behavioral expectations, training on compliance issues and training expectations, and resolution of already existing matters. The use of this technique ensures acquiescence, and deters both abuse and fraud, while increasing the organizations value and effectiveness (David, 2010).
The statement of values strategy, which is used to support in the communication and creation of organizations values, provides the needed guidance to the individuals within the agency. Furthermore, the use of the code of ethics, also known as ethics policy, resonates the importance of commitment to the ethical behavior throughout the agency highlighting the available methods of application of the values in a representative situation.
Finally, Leadership strategies as monitoring code enforcement are vital additions because they establish a locating responsibility for the ethics program of any organization; ensuring that an organization receives consideration and requisite overlooked is received (Leffler 2011.
Elaborate on four notions for designing ethical maps for defining and prioritizing ethical obligations.
George Tenet’s primary priorities were to improved employee morale, improved work conditions, better execution of intelligence reports and analysis, reinforcement of units with new recruits and recall of past and proven officers, better training, and increased funding. In order for Tenet to guarantee that these top priorities are met, Tenet started rebuilding and appointing individuals such as the financial agency's spending who would assist in the straightening of the agency's spending, rehiring retired veterans who were brilliant and could be of great resources to the agency. To a great extent, he also sought out more funding nonetheless, his effort was met with minute success with funding getting minimal increase (Zenko, 2009). In relation to Al-Qaeda, there is always a public and media uproar when top intelligence officials transcribe detailing highly distressing secrets on ongoing top priority security issues. Tenet detailed AL-Qaeda as the latest security warning, with an intelligent report that they were endeavoring to strike with a nuclear weapon, having developed a nuclear weapon.
Other approaches involve creating a stable government regardless of the situation. The governments should also make use other several techniques including obedience to the supervisors and only disobeying in private, neglecting policies and directives that are unethical, unfair, and forming partnerships among entities at all governmental level. Another notion would involve the establishment of an agency that is adequately equipped to deal with situations such as when internal opportunities for voicing one’s disagreement are not enough or moderates (Giraldi, 2007).

References:
Ethics as a strategy. (26th July 2011) Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4153/is_5_62/ai_n15756370/
Ethics as a Strategy. (February 2nd, 2012) Retrieved from http://findersarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4153/is_5_62/ai_n15756370
George Tenet. From http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2008.00879.x/pdf
Giraldi, P. (2007). George Tenet's Machiavellian Moment. Mediterranean Quarterly, 18(3), 31-38. Doi: 10.1215/10474552-2007-015
Richard Joseph Stillman (2010). George Tenet and the Last Great Days of the CIA. Public Administration: Concepts and Cases.