Hacker News Reader

> the nation’s 17 spy agencies.

17.

WTF.

From Wikipedia[1]: CIA, NSA/CSS, NRO, DIA, NGA, intelligence elements of the five armed forces (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard), and intelligence elements of the State Department, Department of Energy, DHS, Treasury, DEA, FBI, and finally overseeing them all, ODNI.

Each specializes in collecting a different kind of intelligence or in a different focus for analysis.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Com...

Why do the DoE and Treasury need intelligence elements?

DoE handles the nuclear arsenal. Treasury contains the Secret Service.

Treasury handles tracking of financial flows involving sanctioned entities, terrorist groups, nations hostile to the US, etc. DoE handles nukes.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com