Hitz's long career includes time with the Washington branch of local firm Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt.

He's better known for his work in intelligence, as a former deputy chief of operations for Europe. Later, he became the first person appointed to serve as Inspector General of the CIA.

In this office he was responsible for investigating internal matters like the Aldrich Ames case, and providing oversight on governance issues, at a time when the CIA's credibility had taken some serious knocks. These days, Hitz is teaching college classes at Princeton, and speaking out on intelligence issues.

In recent months, the CIA has been in the news for its role in pursuit of terrorism suspects, and for the confirmation of its new chief, CIA director General Michael Hayden. Fred Hitz spoke with OPB Morning Host April Baer about intelligence oversight, and about the nature of spy work.

Hear the long version of the interview (mp3 about 24 mins).

Who is Fred Hitz?
Here are some online links to a lecture he delivered in Minneapolis this year on problems facing the CIA, and a subsequent interview he did at Minnesota Public Radio. Both of these can be accessed with a Real Audio player.

Also, here's an interview he did with the PBS series Frontline, and his Princeton bio.

April's note: My prep reading for this interview included Hitz's book, The Great Game: The Myth and Reality of Espionage Reality of Espionage, a fascinating and literate look at spy fact and spy fiction, which is based on a class he teaches at Princeton. It's a good summer-reading companion to your paperback copies of Graham Greene and Alan Furst. Hitz tells me he's writing another book now, focusing on what he calls "the Seven Deadly Sins of Spying".