That's exactly it, but it's even simpler than that; when you control the reports that the political leaders are relying on for information, you control the set

That's exactly it, but it's even simpler than that; when you control the reports that the political leaders are relying on for information, you control the set of options they can select from. Some things never get reported, others get reported such that there is an "obvious correct" choice. Coercive measures are possible, but they shouldn't be necessary in most cases. Jacob Appelbaum describes this process very well in an interview[1] where talks about the time the CSE[2] tried to recruit him. It's hilarious... and scary for several reasons, including the suggestion that the CSE has to get NSA approval for the people they hire. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt7XloDNcm4#t=805 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt7XloDNcm4#t=805 [2] Communications Security Establishment (Canadian SIGINT agency)