My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy until...

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Burn Notice - Season 01 - Episode 10 Spy Tips and Tactics

Burn Notice Season 01 Episode 10 "False Flag" was first aired last September 13, 2007 and below are the spy tips and tactics:

* A fake identity is known in the spy trade as a false flag. Used to be you could make your own documents with a printer and a laminator. These days, though, I.D.'s have magnetic strips, holograms and infrared watermarks.


* In some situations, a tactical retreat is your best option.

* A guy with a gun is a guy with a gun. You can fight him and risk someone getting shot or wait for backup.

* Corporations need spies just like governments do. Of course, they're not called spies. They're called security consultants. They're basically mercenaries with nice suits.

* One of the things you learn in training is to avoid situations that cut too close. If you had a rough childhood, a situation with an abusive father and a vulnerable kid is gonna make you angry. That can be motivating, but it can also be dangerous.

* Facts are the hallmark of a good false identity. It's harder to create history than it is to alter it. Plus, the more truth to your lie, the easier it is to remember.

* Just because there are no windows or doors doesn't mean there are no exits. The thing to look for is the air-conditioner unit. That's where the wall is weakest. Also, people watch doors. They don't watch air conditioners.

* A basic rule of covert ops is let someone else do your dirty work. Let someone else find the guy you want to kill. It's a great technique as long as you're not the someone else.

* Remove the trigger bar spring from a SIG Sauer P2 28 and you've got a nine-millimeter semiautomatic doorstop.

* Shoot a propane tank and you'll just get a big cloud of cold gas. You need an open flame and real good aim.

* Assassination's 1% shooting, 99% preparation. Anticipating moves, devising approaches, recruiting sources, finding the perfect opportunity so the bullet's almost an afterthought.

* There are ways to lessen the risk. An armed escort taking an unpredictable route to your destination, having backup in a trail car. But ultimately, as long as the assassin knows where you're going they have the upper hand. The point is the thing works.

* It's impossible to stop a good assassin from finding an opening and taking a shot. The best you can do is control where the best opening is. And sometimes that's enough.

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