Can we all agree that we need spies?

[LWolf]

38. No.

I can agree with all the rest. I started to agree that we "need" spies, but then realized I was making an assumption that you meant spies to spy on other nations.

I can categorically state that we do not need to spy on our own citizens.

Then I considered again. Do we really need to spy on the rest of the world? What does that say about our national character? That we are untrustworthy, that we lack principles and integrity...

I understand the issues of national security. I understand wanting to know what's going on in the world, to analyze and respond.

I don't have a need to control the rest of the world, though. I don't need to make the rest of the world agree with me or to make them act like me.

I think I would rather focus the defense of the nation on actually "defending" the nation, rather than on maneuvering for power positions or "pre-emptive" defense.

That means I'll defend against an attack. Do I need to spy to do so? I'm conflicted.

I might not be able to make the best defense if I don't have the best information. I'd rather be conservative, though, about gathering intelligence: restricting myself to what's available to me through principled channels.