[NGTM-1R]

Spies do not need to belong to the race they are spying for. The existence of Japanese spying efforts in the United States in WW2 more or less proves the point.

[IronBeer]

Spies do not need to belong to the race they are spying for. The existence of Japanese spying efforts in the United States in WW2 more or less proves the point.

True. But it's quite a bit easier for a Japanese spy to infiltrate the US than, say a human spy to infiltrate Vasuda Prime. You know, the whole "different species" thing would probably force espionage to be a little more indirect.

[NGTM-1R]

Why not? When I say there was a Japanese spying effort in the US, you have to realize that the people who were spying were very obviously not ethnic Japanese because the US government had moved all ethnic Japanese people to internment camps.

People spy for four reasons. Money, Ideology, Conscience, Ego. We have every reason to believe those could be just as valid for a Vasudan, and there is assumed to be pre-war and even during-war contact. They like money, they like the way Terrans think, they think trying to dominate other sentient races is wrong so they tip those races off about attempts to dominate them or whatever, or they enjoy the power of a spy and the high-risk lifestyle.

[TrashMan]

No, it's far less likely. We aren't talking countries here, we're talking SPECIES. Wiht little contat and war going between them.

Only in sci-fi do humans betray their whole race easily.

[Mongoose]

Only in sci-fi do humans betray their whole race easily.

And you have direct evidence of this, how?

[NGTM-1R]

Only in sci-fi do humans betray their whole race easily.

Any betrayal of an individual is a betrayal of the race. It's the same bonds. You're making a distinction without a difference.

Besides, that doesn't say anything about the Vasudans.

[Macfie]

Often people can justify their actions.  McCarthy thought he was doing the right thing I.E. conscience.  They could justify their actions as trying to prevent loss of life by leveling the playing field.  They could be opposed to the war and justify their actions as trying to stop or prevent the conflict.

[TrashMan]

McCarthy did what he did because he know the shivans were coming.

Being a whole different species adds another barrier to cross for a potential traitor. Actualylm nore than one.

I'ts very different from betrying a country in a regular war. If you betray your country, you can allways go living in another country, among people. Or go live in a country you betrayed to.

When it comes to a conflict between alien species, you cna't realyl do that. Your own homeworld will be destroyed or enslaved, and no member of your own race will want to have anything to do with you.
And you will never live as equal on an aliens world... not to mention that you would stand out like a friggin christmas tree.

[Macfie]

That was his justification for turning traitor, but it's hard to tell if his actions had any effect.  It didn't keep the GTA from putting him on trial for treason.  What about the Hammer of Light.  They betrayed their race because they believed the Shivans would usher in a new era.  There would be a good example of idealogy as a reason for betraying your race.  In both McCarthy's and the HOL's eyes they were not betraying their race but trying to do what they considered to be the best thing for their race.  There is a certain amount of ego involved in these cases because they thought they knew what was best for their race.  In McCarthy's case he happened to be right.  A spy might not consider his actions to be a betrayal of his race.