Annie Jacobsen

I don't want to say fight fair because, you know, killing people isn't fair, but versus a certain ruthlessness, a real sinister totalitarian type ruthlessness, certainly from Soviet Russia. I'm far less familiar with modern day Russian assassination activities, although we certainly know on the record that they exist. Some people have done great reporting on that.

I don't want to say fight fair because, you know, killing people isn't fair, but versus a certain ruthlessness, a real sinister totalitarian type ruthlessness, certainly from Soviet Russia. I'm far less familiar with modern day Russian assassination activities, although we certainly know on the record that they exist. Some people have done great reporting on that.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

And I think this is a terrible idea. But what has happened, these biometric systems that have been created, and biometrics are, of course, fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans that allow you to tag, track, and locate people. And what has happened in the five years since this question was first on everybody's minds about NSA surveillance is that the civilian sector companies

And I think this is a terrible idea. But what has happened, these biometric systems that have been created, and biometrics are, of course, fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans that allow you to tag, track, and locate people. And what has happened in the five years since this question was first on everybody's minds about NSA surveillance is that the civilian sector companies

And I think this is a terrible idea. But what has happened, these biometric systems that have been created, and biometrics are, of course, fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans that allow you to tag, track, and locate people. And what has happened in the five years since this question was first on everybody's minds about NSA surveillance is that the civilian sector companies

have essentially done all the Defense Department's biometric surveillance job for them. By all of us sharing our facially recognizable images on Instagram and Facebook and everywhere else, X, by sharing information, by writing up narratives about ourselves, So this information has become part of the database.

have essentially done all the Defense Department's biometric surveillance job for them. By all of us sharing our facially recognizable images on Instagram and Facebook and everywhere else, X, by sharing information, by writing up narratives about ourselves, So this information has become part of the database.

have essentially done all the Defense Department's biometric surveillance job for them. By all of us sharing our facially recognizable images on Instagram and Facebook and everywhere else, X, by sharing information, by writing up narratives about ourselves, So this information has become part of the database.

Five years ago, when I was reporting First Platoon, I was interviewing the police chief of El Segundo, which is kind of like on the outskirts of L.A. It's right near the airport. And why it's important is because it's like defense contractor haven, okay? So they have like, you know, massive surveillance.

Five years ago, when I was reporting First Platoon, I was interviewing the police chief of El Segundo, which is kind of like on the outskirts of L.A. It's right near the airport. And why it's important is because it's like defense contractor haven, okay? So they have like, you know, massive surveillance.

Five years ago, when I was reporting First Platoon, I was interviewing the police chief of El Segundo, which is kind of like on the outskirts of L.A. It's right near the airport. And why it's important is because it's like defense contractor haven, okay? So they have like, you know, massive surveillance.