The Moscow rules

The Moscow Rules is a set of rules of engagement developed by the CIA during the Cold War to be used by spies and others working in Moscow, which had a reputation of being particularly harsh to operatives whom they uncovered. The full list contains 40 items, several of which urge the spy to trust his instincts and gut feelings. The rules can also be applied to other combative or even business-oriented situations.

An abbreviated list of The Moscow Rules:

• Assume nothing.
• Murphy is right.
• Never go against your gut; it is your operational antenna.
• Don't look back; you are never completely alone.
• Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
• Go with the flow, blend in.
• Vary your pattern and stay within your cover.
• Any operation can be aborted. If it feels wrong, it is wrong.
• Maintain a natural pace.
• Lull them into a sense of complacency.
• Build in opportunity, but use it sparingly.
• Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
• Don't harass the opposition.
• There is no limit to a human being's ability to rationalize the truth.
• Technology will always let you down.
• Pick the time and place for action.
• Keep your options open.
• Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an enemy action.