TWS: Privatize the CIA -- Our intelligence community could use more -competition.

The Weekly Standard ^ | 02/05/2007 | Michael Rubin

[OESY]

Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, was a staff adviser for Iran and Iraq in the office of the secretary of defense between 2002 and 2004.

© Copyright 2007, News Corporation, Weekly Standard, All Rights Reserved.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is odd. While it's true that the intelligence community leaves a lot to be desired (Clinton emasculated it), this would amount to giving corporations government power.

[OESY]

It is obvious from Chris Wallace's interview with Doug Feith last Sunday that Wallace does not read The Weekly Standard because he seemed to be unaware of the important issues raised by this essay.

Total privatization would not work but Rubin's argument has merit.

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[tearlenb]

I'm sure a large Muslim company would love a chance to participate....

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

NASA could also use more competition--not from Chinese, Russian, or European space agencies, but by American companies.

[scrabblehack]

There's an outfit called STRATFOR -- so far as I know it gets its money from companies and other interested parties wanting to know the political stability somewhere in the world....I don't think they get government money unless they win a contract or something...

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The CIA shouldn't be too strong, the same with government--as weak as they can be while still serving their purpose.

[yldstrk]

The CIA as it is presently composed is more of an internal danger to the US than a help.

[Sting 11]

There is a place for government and there is a place for private enterprise.

Our intelligence services are not a place for private enterprise.

[camas]

how so????

[camas]

what office did/do you work in????

[yldstrk]

Two words--Valeris Plame.

[Popocatapetl]

The limitations of mercenaries are manifold, as has been exhibited in Iraq. While organizations like Blackwater and Kellogg, Brown & Root have performed sometimes in a noble and exemplary manner, they just do not have the breadth of a governmental army or intelligence service.

Let us say that a civilian intelligence gathering corporation is given a mission parallel to that of the CIA. Not only would both organizations be "stepping on each other's toes", but they would compromise investigations, be far more likely to trigger counter-espionage activities by their targets, and even actively target each other out of suspicion. This already happens a lot between 'friendly' intelligence services of different countries.

This is not to say that private armies and intelligence services will remain this way. For example, the British crown, Elizabeth, has billions of dollars that she could use to create a serious private army, perhaps in brigade (5000-7500) strength, stationed on a Caribbean island. They would exist as a last defense against some force menacing a Britain whose national military had been castrated by a foreign government in Brussels.

Other examples of corporate armies and intelligence services would be in the oil industry, to protect assets around the world from terrorism, and maybe eventually from nationalization by "el Supremo" megalomaniacs like Chavez.

These might not be limited to a single corporation, or even industry, but might instead be an asset available to a "horizontal" collective of businesses. Already some such services exist, such as rescuing kidnapped executives. No reason not to formalize it.

For far too long international corporations have tried to remain under the defensive umbrella of this country or that; eventually, however, they are going to have to look out for themselves.

[volunbeer]

I will step out on a limb here and guess that the CIA probably pays for an account with STRATFOR.

[Cyropaedia]

Amen to that. Privatizing Central Intelligence is just dumb. If you think we have a problem with intelligence leaks now, just wait till the agency goes private.

[camas]

she is a jimmy carter token. she is of no value and means nothing. sorry

[GSlob]

national security is not privatizable, even in the libertarian model it is the preserve of a minimalist state.

[Ax]

Would YOU like to be working the streets in some Arab backwater and NOT have diplomatic immunity? Corporate people don't have diplomatic immunity and if they were to be caught plying their trade, it'd be off to one of the Saudi's or Egyptian's "interrogation centers."

[traviskicks]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[4Liberty]

We should privatize the DOD, too. Replace it with PMCs. We're already using them to supplement defense op's.