There are many issues bundled up here and in the opening post matthewholmes stated:
It is the ethical responsibility of the intelligence gathering to do EVERYTHING within his or her power to gather information that furthers the goals and needs of the United States.
How does ethical intelligence fit when an Israeli comments (the Shin Bet Director, internal security agency):
Intelligence once enjoyed only by countries and world powers can now be obtained through internet systems like Google Earth, internet cameras that are deployed all over the world and linked to the web, or applications for iPhone devices that allow for quality intelligence to be received in real-time..
Link (not much more there):http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...y-systems.html

Not much of a role for ethics here I would contend, a classic case of how technology has moved so fast it has escaped understanding, either by the public, agencies, governments and maybe opponents.