THE MOSCOW RULES

The Moscow Rules are rules-of-thumb said to have been developed during the Cold War to be used by intelligence officers working in Moscow. The rules are associated with Moscow because the city developed a reputation as being a particularly harsh locale for clandestine operatives who were exposed . . . S.L.

Assume nothing.

Never go against your gut.

Everyone is potentially under opposition control.

Don't look back; you are never completely alone.

Go with the flow, blend in.

Vary your pattern and stay within your cover.

Lull them into a sense of complacency.

Don't harass the opposition.

Pick the time and place for action.

Keep your options open.

Murphy is right.

Any operation can be aborted. If it feels wrong, it is wrong.

Maintain a natural pace.

Build in opportunity, but use it sparingly.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. (Borrowed from Muhammad Ali)

There is no limit to a human being's ability to rationalize the truth.

Technology will always let you down.

Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an enemy action. (Taken from Ian Fleming's novel Goldfinger)

Don't attract attention, even by being too careful.

Moscow rules are prominently referenced in John le Carré's cold war books including - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - as tradecraft, including use of inconspicuous signal markers (thumb tacks, chalk marks), the use of dead drops, and the ways to signal the need for a (rare) face-to-face meeting.

STORMBRINGER SENDS