Re: CIA & Espionage

[syrinx@c2.org (Syrinx Anonymous Remailer)]

'Tatu Ylonen' was reported to have written:
 
> I do find it rather shocking that the most powerful country in the
> world sets industrial espionage as the primary task of their
> intelligence services.

Well, I have a letter from a United States Senator which was
received last year in response to my phone call in opposition
to the Digital Telephone Act of 1994 (S. 2375). Here's the interesting
part:

"According to the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations
(FBI), Louis Freeh, the number one law enforcement, public
safety, and national security issue facing us today is preserving
the ability to conduct court approved wiretaps."

In other words, retaining the ability to monitor citizen communications
is their greatest concern. This should be more than shocking to
anyone who cares about privacy.

It appears as though the primary function of the FBI and the
"intelligence services" are similarly directed. One significant
distinction is that the FBI's stated mission is directed toward
the "owners of the country" (to borrow a term from Perot).