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From: mahoney@bartok.DEC
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: CIA
Message-ID: <1622@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 14:27:18 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1622
Posted: Tue Mar 11 14:27:18 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 06:17:46 EST
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---------------------Reply to mail dated 7-MAR-1986 10:27---------------------

>Posted by: decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!qantel!ptsfa!gilbbs!mc68020
>Organization: Gil's Place, Santa Rosa CA
>Summary: what's fat for the goose is fat for the gander, friend
> 
>In article <1517@decwrl.DEC.COM>, mahoney@bach.DEC writes:
>> 
>> ---------------------Reply to mail dated 2-MAR-1986 21:49---------------------
>> 
>> I believe that the CIA has the right to collect information. (Euphemism for
>> steal :-) That is what there job is.  
> 
>   Oh, come now.  If the C.I.A. has the right to steal information elsewhere,
>then why do the "intelligence" agencies of other nations not have the right
>to steal information here?  Think of the outrage we as Amercians feel when
>a major espionage ring is uncovered.  
> 

Personally I think they do have the right.

>   Furthermore, when our C.I.A. people seduce someone in another nation into
>betraying their country, we think of this as a pretty good trick, but if
>their side seduces one of *OUR* people, why, their side is playing dirty,
>and the person they seduced is considered scum.  Fascinating double standard.
> 
I think both sides are scum not just our own who defect.

>> They don't have the right to destablize
>> governments or the right to assisinate leaders of governments.  
> 
>   Ah, but they *DO* have the right.  More importantly than the right, they have
>the power and the intent.  Even more importantly, they exercise it.
> 
The original question was what do you think the rights should be. I do not 
believe that the CIA should have the right to do this destablization.  The 
problem is that they exericize power that I feel they have no right to have or 
exercise.

>> I think that
>> people in our country who "turn coat" should go to jail and depending on the
>> sensitivity of what they gave out should determine the time in jail.  
> 
>   Obviously so, though I question tying sentence duration to perceived
>sensitivity.  If one were to judge on the basis of classification status,
>some pretty ridiculous things could wind up being considered awfully sensitive.
> 
This is true I was just proposing you have shown a flaw I didn't think about
but I don't have a better idea right now.

[I cut out my own text here]
> 
>   Well, Brian, we agree that the C.I.A. are bunglers, at the least.  However,
>it would appear for the remainder of your paragraph (I'm not going to flame you
>over grammar and spelling, am I?  No, I'm not, but I *OUGHT* to!) that you
>essentially believe that the biggest blunder the C.I.A. has made is getting
>caught, not breaking the law, or violating simple ethical standards.  Hmmm...
> 
>-- 
If that is how it came across I apologize that is not how I meant it.  How the
CIA works is wrong pure and simple.  I will not change my stance on their right
to gather information that is fine. They should not have the right to assisinate
or disstablize governments unfriendly or friendly towards the US.
  What I said was more of an aside to the reality of what is going on. That as 
an intelligence organiztion the CIA bungles many things and this makes the US 
look bad.  What they do is something that many intelligence organizations do
but other agencys are better at it and don't get caught.  Personally I wish 
there were I watchdog group to make sure the CIA didn't even attempt the
stupidity that they attempt and sometimes succeed at doing. (Of course that 
is probably the job of the President.)  
  It is good that are press biased as you may think it is still try to keep the
government honest.

>tom keller
>{ihnp4, dual}!ptsfa!gilbbs!mc68020


  Brian Mahoney