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I am not convinced that the NSA has any purpose. What do you think is necessary about the NSA?

buttcoinslol 12y ago
Collecting and analyzing information for foreign intelligence and counter-intelligence. This seems like a fairly necessary organ of state for the country with the largest military in the world.
- ende 12y ago
  But that's what the CIA does. Which one is redundant then?
optimusclimb 12y ago
Possibly one of the most naive comments I've ever seen on here. We keep a military at the most basic level - so that another country can't send a boat full of troops over here, or airplanes filled with troops - invade us - and take over. In other words, basic protection against normal acts of war. Imagine if you, thizzbuzz, suddenly awoke tomorrow and found out the dictator of some small European country died, and you were the heir apparent. What would you want to have to make sure that Russia didn't just come in the next day with tanks and declare your country was now theirs? Oh - that would be a military. So great, you've made sure you have that. Now at the very least, if some other country violates your sovereignty, you can at least put up a fight, and it will be a visible spectacle to the rest of the world, which might come in and try and help you. Next up - Inhabitants of your country speak one language. The rest of the world speaks other languages. If a newspaper in a neighboring country starts publishing articles calling for an invasion of your country, in a language most of your inhabitants don't speak...isn't that something you'd like to be aware of? Who do you expect to be responsible for keeping tabs on that? Are you just going to hope that one of your citizens keeps tabs on it for you and drops you an email (at dictator@smalleurocountry.eu) to let you know you might want to be on the lookout for an invasion? Or would your citizens prefer your government is a little proactive about this? (assuming you're a benevolent dictator that wants to keep his country.) Sounds to me like you want some sort of government agency that keeps tabs on such things - you know, for NATIONAL SECURITY. What you DON'T want, if you have an American mindset, is for that agency to be spying on all of its native citizens. That doesn't mean you don't want such an agency to exist.
- twombly 12y ago
  Part of the reason people would even want to send a boat full of troops is because of the way our military interacts with the rest of the world. It's an unfortunate situation to be in but that doesn't mean it needs to continue forever. If we would just scale back the size of our military presence it would definitely be safer for everyone.
  - optimusclimb 12y ago
    While I agree with you that much of our foreign policy causes us problems, I see that as orthogonal to the need for such defense even if we were to change said policy(ies.)
  - cmdkeen 12y ago
    Safer for who? Probably not for Europe, certainly Eastern Europe who see what Putin is doing in Ukraine. Probably not for Japan and South Korea, both of whom rely on US military backing against undemocratic opponents who have designs on their territory. US military strength underpins the current Western democratic system, which keeps the US wealthy through trade and commerce.
    - vidarh 12y ago
      Given what Putin is doing in Ukraine, and given how the US and Europe appeared to be totally unprepared, it doesn't seem like the NSA is really benefiting Europe enough for it to be a viable for the necessity of the NSA.
    - tobltobs 12y ago
      It would be safer for europe if the US wouldn't act like an idiot in the arabic world. Or at least if they would learn something from their zillions of mistakes. Islamic terrorism kills people everywhere, but mostly not in the US.
  - snowwrestler 12y ago
    > Part of the reason people would even want to send a boat full of troops... Yes but not the entire or only reason, so even if we had the best possible foreign policy, we would still need a national defense.

Collecting and analyzing information for foreign intelligence and counter-intelligence. This seems like a fairly necessary organ of state for the country with the largest military in the world.

ende 12y ago
But that's what the CIA does. Which one is redundant then?

optimusclimb 12y ago

Possibly one of the most naive comments I've ever seen on here. We keep a military at the most basic level - so that another country can't send a boat full of troops over here, or airplanes filled with troops - invade us - and take over. In other words, basic protection against normal acts of war. Imagine if you, thizzbuzz, suddenly awoke tomorrow and found out the dictator of some small European country died, and you were the heir apparent. What would you want to have to make sure that Russia didn't just come in the next day with tanks and declare your country was now theirs? Oh - that would be a military. So great, you've made sure you have that. Now at the very least, if some other country violates your sovereignty, you can at least put up a fight, and it will be a visible spectacle to the rest of the world, which might come in and try and help you. Next up - Inhabitants of your country speak one language. The rest of the world speaks other languages. If a newspaper in a neighboring country starts publishing articles calling for an invasion of your country, in a language most of your inhabitants don't speak...isn't that something you'd like to be aware of? Who do you expect to be responsible for keeping tabs on that? Are you just going to hope that one of your citizens keeps tabs on it for you and drops you an email (at dictator@smalleurocountry.eu) to let you know you might want to be on the lookout for an invasion? Or would your citizens prefer your government is a little proactive about this? (assuming you're a benevolent dictator that wants to keep his country.) Sounds to me like you want some sort of government agency that keeps tabs on such things - you know, for NATIONAL SECURITY. What you DON'T want, if you have an American mindset, is for that agency to be spying on all of its native citizens. That doesn't mean you don't want such an agency to exist.

twombly 12y ago
Part of the reason people would even want to send a boat full of troops is because of the way our military interacts with the rest of the world. It's an unfortunate situation to be in but that doesn't mean it needs to continue forever. If we would just scale back the size of our military presence it would definitely be safer for everyone.
- optimusclimb 12y ago
  While I agree with you that much of our foreign policy causes us problems, I see that as orthogonal to the need for such defense even if we were to change said policy(ies.)
- cmdkeen 12y ago
  Safer for who? Probably not for Europe, certainly Eastern Europe who see what Putin is doing in Ukraine. Probably not for Japan and South Korea, both of whom rely on US military backing against undemocratic opponents who have designs on their territory. US military strength underpins the current Western democratic system, which keeps the US wealthy through trade and commerce.
  - vidarh 12y ago
    Given what Putin is doing in Ukraine, and given how the US and Europe appeared to be totally unprepared, it doesn't seem like the NSA is really benefiting Europe enough for it to be a viable for the necessity of the NSA.
  - tobltobs 12y ago
    It would be safer for europe if the US wouldn't act like an idiot in the arabic world. Or at least if they would learn something from their zillions of mistakes. Islamic terrorism kills people everywhere, but mostly not in the US.
- snowwrestler 12y ago
  > Part of the reason people would even want to send a boat full of troops... Yes but not the entire or only reason, so even if we had the best possible foreign policy, we would still need a national defense.