Earlier today, Edward Snowden posted the following tweet calling attention to a very important article published at Reuters.
Huge: USG confirms cyber offense funded at 9x rate of defense. Wonder why we can’t stop foreign hacks? This is why. https://t.co/qug3LY16Bt pic.twitter.com/q0Zhn7FRxG
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 30, 2017
The article highlights the fact that U.S. intelligence agencies spend 90% of their budgets on offensive capabilities as opposed to defense. The disastrous results of such an emphasis should be obvious to everyone, all you have to do is look at what this attitude has done to U.S. foreign policy, as well as domestic police departments. When you focus all your spending and energy on developing new weapons, the urge is to find an excuse to use them. Disastrous consequences typically follow (unnecessary SWAT raids and the wholesale destruction of countries).
When it comes to intelligence agencies, the focus on offense results in two horrible outcomes. Less cybersecurity for everyone and an ability for the government to spy on, and hence blackmail, the whole world.
Reuters reports:
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