Hacker News Reader

Comment by wil421 | Hacker News Reader

Isn't the job of spy agency who only works on foreign soil to spread propaganda and to gather support for their respective county?

Obama is the top US figure and it's not shocking at all he was trying to get support from allies. It's also not shocking that allies support was boosted when they heard Obama was on board with whatever the issue was.

What does HN think the CIA job is? TBH I don't see anything here that is shocking and I bet almost all of the countries are doing the same exact thing. Wether it be the US's war in Afghanistan, China in the South China Sea or their Road and Belt projects, or even support for Brexit.

View on HN

I cannot argue with your points of what the CIA’s role is. But who is the boss? Seems to me it should be The Commander-in-Chief of the US Military, not a network of Federal Employees.

"the swamp" that Trump likes to describe is the network of nonelected federal employees that have hold the real power.

I'm glad you appreciate the role of the CIA and that's why, in a democracy we should have it accountable to the people

I agree that influencing public opinion in forgien countries is a core part of what the CIA does. An important question to ask is: what clandestine propaganda operations does the CIA operate that directly target the American people.

Honest question, what are the propaganda agencies for Germany, UK, Rusia and China?

Russia would be the Kremlin

The Kremlin is not a propaganda agency any more than the White House is a propaganda agency.

In the UK, you're looking for JTRIG, Institute for Statecraft/Integrity Initiative, and the 77th Brigade, and probably tens to hundreds of smaller organizations.

For Russia it would be the FSB and the various gray area semi-government controlled propaganda/disinformation groups.

China has the Ministry of State Security, MSS.

The UK has the SIS.

Germany has the BND.

The Dutch are also pretty capable with the AIVD.

They all fund nonprofits and groups to help spread good and bad propaganda.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com