Sunday, July 28, 2013
A simple thought
Thinking about actionable intelligence in the context of NSA and its Euro counterparts.
Actionable intel means questions like "Where are the Jap submarines now and where will they be next week?" With this data, the American navy will know where to go and what to look for. Or "Where will the D-Day invasion hit the coast?" With this data, the Krauts could have killed the invasion completely.
By definition NONE of NSA's output is actionable. Why? Simple. When everyone is monitoring all electronic communication, real enemies avoid using all electronic communication.
Monitor everything = Hear nothing.
Some parts of our intel apparatus are still working in the actionable realm, as shown unquestionably by catching Osama in Pakistan. Because Osama knew (like everyone else who isn't a total fucking fool!) that NSA monitors everything, he used old-fashioned methods. And our operatives did the same. They got into Pakistan, cultivated contacts, and observed actual reality. Clearly required real guts and real wisdom.
Those old-fashioned operatives deserve to be funded and supported. NSA does not deserve support or funding. It's completely useless.
= = = = =
[I tried a complicated hall-of-mirrors thought, but it didn't work. Let's say NSA and GCHQ and the other Euro agencies conspired to monitor everything deliberately, in order to close off one option and guarantee that all enemy communications would use old-fashioned paths. Doesn't make bureaucratic sense. Real spy work is risky. Real spies die, and real spies make mistakes that cause defeats. Why would a bureaucrat want to force all activity into channels that could embarrass him? I can't see it. Maybe I need to add one or two more mirrors, but I'm already at my limit here.]
¶ 3:57 PM 
¶ 3:57 PM
