David McCloskey

and if that sounds like a ridiculous number it's because it probably is it can be overall very bloated i think there's probably too much overlap and redundancy between many of these groups but you know for simplicity's sake take a couple of the bigger organizations so the the cia the central intelligence agency is our sort of premier uh foreign intelligence agency meaning we are

working abroad to steal secrets from foreign countries and groups, right? The National Security Agency is our primary signals intelligence arm, meaning they're doing a lot of the intercepts of phone communications, emails, etc. sort of manipulating electronic communication. Obviously, you have the State Department, which is our sort of diplomatic arm overseas.

working abroad to steal secrets from foreign countries and groups, right? The National Security Agency is our primary signals intelligence arm, meaning they're doing a lot of the intercepts of phone communications, emails, etc. sort of manipulating electronic communication. Obviously, you have the State Department, which is our sort of diplomatic arm overseas.

working abroad to steal secrets from foreign countries and groups, right? The National Security Agency is our primary signals intelligence arm, meaning they're doing a lot of the intercepts of phone communications, emails, etc. sort of manipulating electronic communication. Obviously, you have the State Department, which is our sort of diplomatic arm overseas.

I mean, there's intelligence agencies or entities inside the State Department, inside the FBI, inside various services of the military. So if you kind of put all this on a couple of pages, it's a bit overwhelming. But all of these groups, in theory, work together and in most cases actually do relatively well.

I mean, there's intelligence agencies or entities inside the State Department, inside the FBI, inside various services of the military. So if you kind of put all this on a couple of pages, it's a bit overwhelming. But all of these groups, in theory, work together and in most cases actually do relatively well.

I mean, there's intelligence agencies or entities inside the State Department, inside the FBI, inside various services of the military. So if you kind of put all this on a couple of pages, it's a bit overwhelming. But all of these groups, in theory, work together and in most cases actually do relatively well.

But of course, there are different cultures and all of that that prevent clean cooperation at all times. And so there can be sort of competition over turf and dropped handoffs between the two. I mean, it's all the things you'd expect with a massive probably too large group of agencies that are all sort of distinct but have overlapping mission sets.

But of course, there are different cultures and all of that that prevent clean cooperation at all times. And so there can be sort of competition over turf and dropped handoffs between the two. I mean, it's all the things you'd expect with a massive probably too large group of agencies that are all sort of distinct but have overlapping mission sets.

But of course, there are different cultures and all of that that prevent clean cooperation at all times. And so there can be sort of competition over turf and dropped handoffs between the two. I mean, it's all the things you'd expect with a massive probably too large group of agencies that are all sort of distinct but have overlapping mission sets.

Well, look, I'll tell you this, that there are really, I mean, the mission of CIA is an exceptional one. And although it's not, you know, martinis and tuxedos and car chases, The agency is out there stopping and disrupting terrorist attacks. The agency is sending people into denied environments all the time under very exotic forms of cover.

Well, look, I'll tell you this, that there are really, I mean, the mission of CIA is an exceptional one. And although it's not, you know, martinis and tuxedos and car chases, The agency is out there stopping and disrupting terrorist attacks. The agency is sending people into denied environments all the time under very exotic forms of cover.

Well, look, I'll tell you this, that there are really, I mean, the mission of CIA is an exceptional one. And although it's not, you know, martinis and tuxedos and car chases, The agency is out there stopping and disrupting terrorist attacks. The agency is sending people into denied environments all the time under very exotic forms of cover.

The agency is fielding incredible sort of next gen technology and it is producing really what I call the most sort of highly classified reports that our president reads and what's called the president's daily brief for PDB. So I see the work of the CIA as being highly exceptional, but it's also...

The agency is fielding incredible sort of next gen technology and it is producing really what I call the most sort of highly classified reports that our president reads and what's called the president's daily brief for PDB. So I see the work of the CIA as being highly exceptional, but it's also...

The agency is fielding incredible sort of next gen technology and it is producing really what I call the most sort of highly classified reports that our president reads and what's called the president's daily brief for PDB. So I see the work of the CIA as being highly exceptional, but it's also...

this sort of big organization at the same time that in many respects would resemble, you know, a Fortune 500 company. So I like to think of the place as being kind of a uniquely bipolar organization. On the one hand, it has this exceptional mission, which I don't think actually has a lot of parallels elsewhere or analogs elsewhere.

this sort of big organization at the same time that in many respects would resemble, you know, a Fortune 500 company. So I like to think of the place as being kind of a uniquely bipolar organization. On the one hand, it has this exceptional mission, which I don't think actually has a lot of parallels elsewhere or analogs elsewhere.

this sort of big organization at the same time that in many respects would resemble, you know, a Fortune 500 company. So I like to think of the place as being kind of a uniquely bipolar organization. On the one hand, it has this exceptional mission, which I don't think actually has a lot of parallels elsewhere or analogs elsewhere.

And on the other side, you know, it's a big place that's run by people. And so you get a lot of the foibles and quirks that go along with that.