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In my limited experience, I feel like the CIA has a lot of room for improvement. Reminds me of this- http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/21/world/director-admits-c

In my limited experience, I feel like the CIA has a lot of room for improvement. Reminds me of this- http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/21/world/director-admits-cia-fell-short-in-predicting-the-soviet-collapse.html http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/21/world/director-admits-cia-... There's the problem of guys like Michael Morrell, who have no operational experience but go on Charlie Rose and advocate murdering Russian and Syrian officials. Not that I disagree but why publicly talk about it? Morrell's an economist. The agency being run by political bureaucrats I suppose is inevitable but it's unfortunate. However, my experience on the science and technology side is also lacking. There's some super smart people who seem to lack any directive of strategy. I sometimes think, is this guy really this ridiculous or is he levelling me? I love the CIA and am biased in their favor, but I can't think of any personal experience that makes me have confidence in them. Perhaps they are good at operational missions, but they are run by bureaucrats and the science side has the lack of socially smart, well rounded individuals. The mystique and aura of powerfulness is seductive but the reality of the world is, everyone is much stupider than you can imagine. It's a wonder the world works at all.

DominikR 10y ago
It's a cultural thing I believe. Some cultures have a different way of dealing with conflicts, and each one of those has its pros and cons. The US for example threatens adversaries before it acts. And sometimes it will not act even though she says so. (bluffing like in a poker game) The benefits as I see them is being somewhat more transparent. The Russians on the other hand will not threaten. They want to keep all their options hidden. But when they come out saying they will do something they very likely will and sometimes this can look like an extreme escalation coming out of nowhere.
samstave 10y ago
>"run by political bureaucrats I suppose is inevitable but it's unfortunate." So if it is unfortunate, what classification of people, in your opinion, should be running it? What a weird comment you have posted... You love the CIA? are you a sadist? I am serious about that question, as while I agree that all states need their intelligence services - the CIA has done some downright EVIL shit. And if you "love the CIA" and are unfamiliar with their history, then you're a fucking moron. Now, its not to say that the US needs to, in their own best interest, remain as a world super-power... and we shall -- but its to focus on the fact that we can do so in a better fashion. I take the words "I love the CIA" to mean that you're either a sadist, a child of an op, or young and stupid, and by stupid - I just mean not critically thinking about what you have said/what your understanding of the CIA has done/is. Again, The US will be the predominant power in the world for the foreseeable future, but have some humanity -- something the actions of the CIA fucking lack. And if you love the CIA so much, you'll realize that they own this country, and that is not necessarily a good thing, you sound naive.

DominikR 10y ago

It's a cultural thing I believe. Some cultures have a different way of dealing with conflicts, and each one of those has its pros and cons. The US for example threatens adversaries before it acts. And sometimes it will not act even though she says so. (bluffing like in a poker game) The benefits as I see them is being somewhat more transparent. The Russians on the other hand will not threaten. They want to keep all their options hidden. But when they come out saying they will do something they very likely will and sometimes this can look like an extreme escalation coming out of nowhere.

samstave 10y ago

>"run by political bureaucrats I suppose is inevitable but it's unfortunate." So if it is unfortunate, what classification of people, in your opinion, should be running it? What a weird comment you have posted... You love the CIA? are you a sadist? I am serious about that question, as while I agree that all states need their intelligence services - the CIA has done some downright EVIL shit. And if you "love the CIA" and are unfamiliar with their history, then you're a fucking moron. Now, its not to say that the US needs to, in their own best interest, remain as a world super-power... and we shall -- but its to focus on the fact that we can do so in a better fashion. I take the words "I love the CIA" to mean that you're either a sadist, a child of an op, or young and stupid, and by stupid - I just mean not critically thinking about what you have said/what your understanding of the CIA has done/is. Again, The US will be the predominant power in the world for the foreseeable future, but have some humanity -- something the actions of the CIA fucking lack. And if you love the CIA so much, you'll realize that they own this country, and that is not necessarily a good thing, you sound naive.