NSA releases open-source infosec tool

Seriously, I hate how shrill stuff like this is automatically upvoted. It seems no one wants to have a mature view of what SIGINT means in the information age and in the age of endless cyberwar and terrorism. Thus far the view is "Lets let the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, etc do whatever they want (including invading their neighbors and annex lands), but if the US does anything, then we will only criticize them!" Uh okay.

That not intellectual or sophisticated. Its kiddie outrage politics designed to garner upvotes.

person who breaks into computer systems (legally or illegally)

person who codes or generally experiments/tinkers with computers

Now the 2nd meaning is quite common on HN, though only OP could tell you the exact meaning.

The IRA and UVF, Hezbollah etc all have something in common. That is that they are responses to actions primarily done by imperialistic actions of other countries (the UVF was the counter to the IRA which was a response to British actions, while Hezbollah was largely a response to Israel's invasion of Beruit in 82 and America's support afterwards).

ISIS was largely trained in Jordan and sent into Syria to topple Assad by the US, (despite the fact this has been covered up really well), and when they failed they shifted into Iraq and are performing the great task of keeping Iraq in a state of chaos.

So first of all, lets stop pretending like the IRA, UVF, Hezbollah, or ISIS can be summarized so simply.

That's not to justify them or whitewash their actions either though, I was shocked when I learned that the total deaths in the UVF/IRA conflict (which the Brits characteristically love to downplay by calling it "The Troubles") were close to 6,000 and that total casualties were close to 50,000. Those are number comparable to the first years of the US invasion of Iraq.

So you're right that having naive ideas about community with such entities are dangerous, the real issue is that it is often the actions of the Imperialistic countries such as the US and UK that have caused many of these organizations to exist at all.

So while creating a bike share program with ISIS is obviously a stupid thing to do, how about we stop funding "moderate rebels", overthrowing democratically elected governments because we don't like them, and generally supporting imperialism abroad?

Don't get me wrong, after spending years after I left Iraq for the last time trying to understand why we were there in the first place, I cam to the conclusion that we have strategic objectives in the ME and the invasion/occupation were essentially good covers for accomplishing these goals, I think there is plenty of room for debate about these strategic objectives, but the problem is that no one actually discusses these Realpolitik motives or goals in any way that is meaningfully representative of a Constitutional Republic or of a Constitutional Monarchy.

"however those organizations have saved more people than you'd know and they are the reason we don't have 9-11s each week." This is simply an assertion that even the former director of the NSA couldn't even back up when asked how many plots had been foiled.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/10/nsa-spying-did-not-re...

"Don't you think that is ISIS had the chance, they'd bomb downtown San Fransisco?" Only if the Joint Chiefs Approved and it could be used to further some other goal. Remember that ISIS is largely a UK/US/Israeli/Jordanian/SA created organization. The details of compartmentalization and usage of proxies like this could be a thesis paper in itself, so I'll just assume you would contest this but it doesn't change the fact of the matter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods

"The world is full of bad people, evil people, monsters; serving single origin coffee and installing more windmills isn't going to change that."

No but the cessation of bombing and fucking up those peoples countries would sure be a good start. Look, I'm a warrior. I'm a combat vet who spent most of my time in Iraq in Anbar province and on the Syrian border, and you know what? If a bomb or a misplaced shot killed my mother, my sister, my child, or my brother, I'd be the first in line to attack the invaders. I was the invader, but it wasn't until after that I started to ask the big questions, and while I certainly wasn't going to let a Republican Guard get me or my buddies, it doesn't stop me from understanding the "enemy".

"It's about freedom."

Exactly, and the imperialist nation-states are generally the antithesis to freedom accross the board. I could fill up a page with atrocities, coups, and revolutions brewed up by them so they could get a better business deal.

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html

"The NSA isn't perfect. The government isn't perfect. That doesn't mean we throw them out because they aren't working as well as they should."

Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should completely get rid of them either, but for me, the point is that they are increasingly blatant in the unconstitutional actions. Lets not forget that military members, the POTUS, and congress/senate all swear an oath, an oath to protect and defend THE CONSTITUTION of the United States, from all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC.

For me, the realization is that the greater constitutional threat to America is the domestic ones, and they aren't wearing Thwab's, they wear suits and ties and mostly live in DC and on Wallstreet. They are more our enemy than the ones we were sent over to fight under false pretences and in unconstitutional means. These people subvert our constitution, undermine national sovereignty, and have corrupted almost every branch of government, either due to money, power, or blackmail and general corruption. All while our justice system is increasingly revealed to be farcical. And you know what? Without justice, there can be no peace.

So get off your high horse, because to me it looks like you are the one with the "exceptionally ignorant view of the world.".

"I dunno. Some Marine Corps General died."