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> having duplicate capabilities for it is a waste. This is a feature, not a bug. This is how a system of checks and balances works in authoritarian countries -

by ilya_m 2y ago

> having duplicate capabilities for it is a waste. This is a feature, not a bug. This is how a system of checks and balances works in authoritarian countries - the entire security apparatus is duplicated several times over lest one agency becomes too powerful or indispensable. KGB/Ministry of the Interior/Military kept each other in check for much of the later part of the Soviet Union's existence.

H8crilA 2y ago
This. I would only add that even the FSB (which is theoretically the equivalent of the FBI, and should operate domestically) has extensive foreign operations. It was most likely the FSB that was primarily blamed for the major fuckup that was the raid on Kyiv in 2022. Sergey Beseda, the leader of the "foreign branch", was imprisoned for some time after that happened. Russia also has had at least three armed forces up until recently, the normal one, the Rosgvardia, and the PMC complex including Wagner. All of them have had rather serious equipment, for example Wagner had tanks, artillery, they even had their own air defence like Pantsir and their own aviation. Running an oppressive, murderous regime sometimes requires crazy solutions.
Terr_ 2y ago
That reminds me of this exchange, where two men are bluffing their way through a (literal) circle of hell: > “They think—what do they think? That we’re important officials?” > “No. Of course not. They know we are only pretending that.” > “Then what—” > “But they cannot be sure. We might be important officials. But most of them think we are secret police.” > “But how do you know there are secret police?” > Benito looked very sad. “Allen, there have to be. You cannot run a bureaucratic state without them. Come.” -- Inferno, by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
epolanski 2y ago
Now that you make me think about it, that doesn't even seem a feature of authoritarian countries. I can easily think plenty of countries around the world where security and intelligence duties are often duplicated and overlap.

by ilya_m 2y ago

H8crilA 2y ago

This. I would only add that even the FSB (which is theoretically the equivalent of the FBI, and should operate domestically) has extensive foreign operations. It was most likely the FSB that was primarily blamed for the major fuckup that was the raid on Kyiv in 2022. Sergey Beseda, the leader of the "foreign branch", was imprisoned for some time after that happened. Russia also has had at least three armed forces up until recently, the normal one, the Rosgvardia, and the PMC complex including Wagner. All of them have had rather serious equipment, for example Wagner had tanks, artillery, they even had their own air defence like Pantsir and their own aviation. Running an oppressive, murderous regime sometimes requires crazy solutions.

Terr_ 2y ago

That reminds me of this exchange, where two men are bluffing their way through a (literal) circle of hell: > “They think—what do they think? That we’re important officials?” > “No. Of course not. They know we are only pretending that.” > “Then what—” > “But they cannot be sure. We might be important officials. But most of them think we are secret police.” > “But how do you know there are secret police?” > Benito looked very sad. “Allen, there have to be. You cannot run a bureaucratic state without them. Come.” -- Inferno, by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven

epolanski 2y ago

Now that you make me think about it, that doesn't even seem a feature of authoritarian countries. I can easily think plenty of countries around the world where security and intelligence duties are often duplicated and overlap.