Downsizing the NSA

[tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)]

At 9:33 PM 1/27/96, hallam@w3.org wrote:

>They probably should do, the NSA was critical in ensuring the demise
>of the USSR and in maintaining stability throughout the cold war period.
>
>The point is not that the NSA had no military function. The point is that
>it is now an agency searching for a role. It is often a dangerous thing
>for the military to involve itself in civil affairs.

I agree with this strongly. From my readings about the NSA in particular
and SIGINT in general, they played a valuable role in the 1950-1990 Cold
War period. (I'm not so sure a world war would have resulted in some
alternate history where the NSA did not exist, but I suspect things might
have been more chaotic and that war might have been likelier. I am thus
prepared to give credit to the NSA where credit is due.)

However, as Phill notes, the NSA and other intelligence agencies are now in
that most dangerous of positions: a powerful agency or department casting
about for something to do.

Spying on citizens and keeping the keys to their private communications and
diaries is not an appropriate option.

AT&T is downsizing, IBM downsized a while back, so why couldn't the NSA
just do the right thing: admit that the Soviet threat is no more,
congratulate the victors, and downsize by 20,000 employees?

--Tim

Boycott espionage-enabled software!
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed.
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