Comments on: The Russian intelligence apparatus http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:52:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Younghusband http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-182530 Younghusband Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:40:32 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-182530 "Vladimir Putin is responsible for Litvinenko's death":http://www.slate.com/id/2154887 by Anne Applebaum mentions both the FSB and SVR, but affords too much power to Putin, saying that he is the "hub" of all intelligence activities. I would say that he is _a_ hub, and that _the_ hub does not exist. Vladimir Putin is responsible for Litvinenko’s death by Anne Applebaum mentions both the FSB and SVR, but affords too much power to Putin, saying that he is the “hub” of all intelligence activities. I would say that he is a hub, and that the hub does not exist.

]]> By: Younghusband http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181652 Younghusband Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:58:56 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181652 @Curzon: I am glad you found it useful. Oftentimes the media makes mention of the FSB simply as _the_ successor to the KGB. I wanted to clarify that it is _a_ successor. @Curzon: I am glad you found it useful. Oftentimes the media makes mention of the FSB simply as the successor to the KGB. I wanted to clarify that it is a successor.

]]> By: Richardson http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181644 Richardson Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:33:53 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181644 I've no problem with intel oversight and was not attempting to make any point about it, but unclassified publication of the detailed reports coming out of congress is an ongoing mistake. Note that oversight and the publication of findings are differentiated. Foreign intel services can and do use that information to identify and exploit weaknesses in our system (i.e., circumvent CI). I'd say the U.S. survived despite rather than because of such publications, and I say this after hearing from former Soviet IOs and how they specifically used such information in the past, and would with current pubs (if they hadn't defected, of course). I’ve no problem with intel oversight and was not attempting to make any point about it, but unclassified publication of the detailed reports coming out of congress is an ongoing mistake. Note that oversight and the publication of findings are differentiated. Foreign intel services can and do use that information to identify and exploit weaknesses in our system (i.e., circumvent CI). I’d say the U.S. survived despite rather than because of such publications, and I say this after hearing from former Soviet IOs and how they specifically used such information in the past, and would with current pubs (if they hadn’t defected, of course).

]]> By: Curzon http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181623 Curzon Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:13:41 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181623 Richardson: you seem to be using that argument to denigrate legislative oversight of intelligence affairs, an important function in checks and balances structure created in the US constitution. Foreign intelligence agencies may take congressional reports and distribute them overseas to try and stir up local sentiment against the US, but they easily think up something more creative themselves. I think the quasi-fiction book "Ugly American" outlines more complicated reasons for US overseas failures during WWII. While Congress has meddled into the intelligence agencies frequently, and there are numerous examples of mistakes and excesses, that we had freedom of speech and internal criticism of policy during the Cold War is one big reason while we're still around and the USSR is no more. YH: thanks for the summary -- I was wondering what FSB really was when I saw it in the news. Richardson: you seem to be using that argument to denigrate legislative oversight of intelligence affairs, an important function in checks and balances structure created in the US constitution. Foreign intelligence agencies may take congressional reports and distribute them overseas to try and stir up local sentiment against the US, but they easily think up something more creative themselves. I think the quasi-fiction book “Ugly American” outlines more complicated reasons for US overseas failures during WWII.

While Congress has meddled into the intelligence agencies frequently, and there are numerous examples of mistakes and excesses, that we had freedom of speech and internal criticism of policy during the Cold War is one big reason while we’re still around and the USSR is no more.

YH: thanks for the summary—I was wondering what FSB really was when I saw it in the news.

]]> By: Richardson http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181578 Richardson Tue, 05 Dec 2006 01:13:37 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/04/the-russian-intelligence-apparatus/#comment-181578 I've had a few classes on Soviet "active measures"Â? that featured former (i.e., defectors) KGB intelligence officers. They did a fair job of inciting racial tension, influencing America's left against the Vietnam War, and throwing gasoline on the flames of various conspiracy theories, from who shot JFK & MLK, probably to who carried out 9/11. A lot of bang for the buck, relative to U.S. agencies. One example of how they would tune-up anti-American sentiment in Third World countries; 1) take a congressional report on U.S. intelligence outlays, create copies that are identical, except change a few words here and there to make it appear as if certain Third World nations, and 2) Distribute all over the Third World. Apparently that tactic works well enough to repeat. Often. I’ve had a few classes on Soviet “active measures”Â? that featured former (i.e., defectors) KGB intelligence officers. They did a fair job of inciting racial tension, influencing America’s left against the Vietnam War, and throwing gasoline on the flames of various conspiracy theories, from who shot JFK & MLK, probably to who carried out 9/11. A lot of bang for the buck, relative to U.S. agencies.

One example of how they would tune-up anti-American sentiment in Third World countries; 1) take a congressional report on U.S. intelligence outlays, create copies that are identical, except change a few words here and there to make it appear as if certain Third World nations, and 2) Distribute all over the Third World. Apparently that tactic works well enough to repeat. Often.

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