This is a genuine question: I don't really see how it's possible for spies to exist in the modern day. Our world is far too technologically advanced for espionage to work anymore right?
Can someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
21–30 of 65 posts
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#22I’ve done a couple of these they’re good fun and a nice way to explore, we often tie one in to a city break. https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#23This is a genuine question: I don't really see how it's possible for spies to exist in the modern day. Our world is far too technologically advanced for espionage to work anymore right? Can someone correct me if I'm wrong.
>This is a genuine question: I don't really see how it's possible for spies to exist in the modern day. Our world is far too technologically advanced for espionage to work anymore right?
>Can someone correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't have any special knowledge, but a DDG search for "espionage cases recent" returned a large number of results. Here's a sampling:
https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/12/30/the-top-5-u-s-espi...
https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-11-16/chinese-n...
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/politics/navy-nuclear-...
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-cia-officer-arrested-a...
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-nsa-employee-arrested-...
https://apnews.com/article/sweden-government-stockholm-57182...
https://news.clearancejobs.com/2021/12/27/top-5-u-s-espionag...
I'd note that none of these include any US/Western spies. If you're inclined to believe it (I have no idea one way or another), Evan Gershkovich[0] is another spy.
[0] https://abc7chicago.com/evan-gershkovich-in-court-wall-stree...
You may well be right that it's impossible "for spies to exist in the modern day" but various governments don't seem to hold that view.
Now you've got me curious. What's so different about now that would make espionage unworkable? I'd think espionage would be much easier due to technological advances, not harder.
I'd be quite interested to hear your thoughts if you don't mind expanding on your comment. Thanks!
Edit: I meant to also say that given the number of cases that are being prosecuted, it seems likely that many more folks are engaged in espionage who haven't been discovered or who have been discovered and are being used as a conduit for disinformation. Again, I have no special knowledge about that, but (at least to me) it makes sense that there would be more, possibly many more.
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#24This is a genuine question: I don't really see how it's possible for spies to exist in the modern day. Our world is far too technologically advanced for espionage to work anymore right? Can someone correct me if I'm wrong.
People still believe earth is flat, Trump won, govt employees in Pentagon using TikTok, Trump refusing to use secured phone initially, QAnon, etc and you are asking if espionage is possible in this modern world. Your phone itself is a spy. A "spy" can literally inject virus and siphon so much data. Also espionage is not done MI, JB style. Most real world espionage is so dormant and slow, mostly observing and collecting information and passing on.
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#25It would be funny if this was actually orchestrated by a foreign power as a way of collecting real intel. "Break into the oval office and take a photo of any documents you find there. Upload your photos to advance to the next level"
Free Fitbits to all active duty U.S. military personnel....
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is that a bad area? Though I guess here in Barcelona tourists love crowding Raval which is also a really bad area full of narco flats.
Not bad as in unsafe, just a bland block of high rise offices that’s dead at 6pm. It’s on public transit and close to good stuff, it’s just funny as you’d normally never send a tourist there on purpose.
There's nothing interesting in Rosslyn itself, however it's probably the closest subway stop to Georgetown. You can easily walk across the Key Bridge, which is a really nice walk when the weather is good. There's lots to see in Georgetown, especially restaurants, and also a nice waterfront area.
You can also walk from Rosslyn to the Mt. Vernon trail, and to the nearby Roosevelt Island where there's some nice hiking trails and a big monument to Teddy Roosevelt in the middle where people like to sit and relax. There's fountains there, running at some times during the year. Then you can continue walking on the Mt. Vernon trail to Gravelly Point next to DCA airport and watch airplanes take off. If you want to keep walking, you can go to Old Town Alexandria, or even farther to Mount Vernon, but it's a lot better to use a bicycle for these treks.
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#27It would be funny if this was actually orchestrated by a foreign power as a way of collecting real intel. "Break into the oval office and take a photo of any documents you find there. Upload your photos to advance to the next level"
Free Fitbits to all active duty U.S. military personnel....
And 'Special' TikTok app
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is that a bad area? Though I guess here in Barcelona tourists love crowding Raval which is also a really bad area full of narco flats.
Not bad as in unsafe, just a bland block of high rise offices that’s dead at 6pm. It’s on public transit and close to good stuff, it’s just funny as you’d normally never send a tourist there on purpose.
There was a time when Rosslyn was a great stop, even if it was for just one reason, the Newseum.
...back when the Newseum was there anyway, before their poorly-decided move to DC and subsequent closure.
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#29> What if the weather is bad? You're a spy . Suck it up, and take a lesson from the USPS. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
That quote actually belongs to these folks originally,
Re: Explore Washington DC through the eyes of a spy
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not bad as in unsafe, just a bland block of high rise offices that’s dead at 6pm. It’s on public transit and close to good stuff, it’s just funny as you’d normally never send a tourist there on purpose.
There's nothing interesting in Rosslyn itself, however it's probably the closest subway stop to Georgetown. You can easily walk across the Key Bridge, which is a really nice walk when the weather is good. There's lots to see in Georgetown, especially restaurants, and also a nice waterfront area. You can also walk from Rosslyn to the Mt. Vernon trail, and to the nearby Roosevelt Island where there's some nice hiking t…
One of my favorite memories in DC is on Roosevelt island. My friend bought like 20 laser tag sets and had a computer, antenna and whatever other gear needed to setup your own laser tag. We played right there on the island next to the statue. There was a circular area, lots of bushes, what I imagine was a little water feature/moat without any water circling it. Don't think we saw anyone there outside our group.