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machinarium-robot

So did the CIA successfully rebuild their spy network in China?


diacewrb

No, at least according to the WSJ in their article Dec. 26, 2023. >CIA lost network of agents a decade ago and has struggled to rebuild in the surveillance state America calls its top security priority; ‘no real insight into leadership plans’ https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/american-spies-confront-a-new-formidable-china-5c384370 Also fewer US students are studying Chinese, so there are fewer people to takeover from the Chinese translators and analysts retiring now or soon. If I recall correctly, General Milley mentioned this and asked that the politicians dial down the rhetoric as he knew this would be an even bigger problem in the future. Even simple things like getting an accurate translation in a timely manner because machine translation of Chinese to English is still too unreliable.


gazpachoid

Don't forget that prominent asia-focused think tank/security analysts saying it's unnecessary to learn Chinese to be a china expert lmao


Ragingsheep

What is google translate? /s


leeyiankun

But MTL is perfect for translating Courting Death.


Anonymou2Anonymous

I mean they must have some capability considering the whole Qin Gang and rocket force shitshow. Especially considering how China sort of backed down on their rhetoric following that whole mess.


astuteobservor

And how much of that shitshow is just pure fud and propaganda on the US side? Do people with brain cells actually believe the water for fuel thing? like really? really???


June1994

Considering how our officials been more and more unhinged with their China commentary, I’d say nah, we haven’t.


NFossil

You don't need the CIA to expect this happening


machinarium-robot

They did cite US spies as their source of this intelligence.


That_Shape_1094

The Chinese publicly announced their partnership with Russia has no limits. You don't need a spy network to read Chinese newspapers.


talldude8

Yep. A bunch of generals from the rocket force got purged recently for being spies.


machinarium-robot

Isn't that because of corruption? Didn't they inflate the prices of missiles and took some money? Or there's more recent one?


CorneliusTheIdolator

it was because of corruption . Unless the dude knows some classified info that we don't , he's bullshiting


Anonymou2Anonymous

Qin gang seems to be a case of compromise though.


krakenchaos1

The article is based on a this quote: >“We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Thursday in testimony to Congress. with some additional commentary. I'm not even sure if this is even newsworthy to begin with but there's really not much meat to the article. Then there's some comments about how there may possibly be military cooperation between China and Russia relating to Taiwan, but does not include specific details.


99_spy_balloons

Realistically, political warfare and opinion warfare. It's more likely DNI/NSC is hyping that into a catch-all "military cooperation" to wring out more money. So technically, no one lied to congress.


CureLegend

do they need a spy? they could just go into r/LessCredibleDefence and ask lol


ChaosDancer

Wow the thing that anyone with two brain cells to rub together predicted actually happened, who could have thought. I swear to god the US foreign policy is run by fucking morons.


munkdoom

I mean yea who woulda guessed that


99_spy_balloons

The boy who cried wolf


UnitedMouse6175

Oh damn. Probably shouldn’t have pushed them all closer together through attempting to isolate them from the international order that was constructed. Man, who would’ve thought the four ostracized kids would’ve ended up hanging up and becoming school shooters because we all laughed and made fun of them. Bro that’s crazy.


Diligent_Bit3336

Right, they’re the school shooters… https://www.salon.com/2022/01/11/the-us-drops-an-average-of-46-bombs-a-day-why-should-the-world-see-us-as-a-force-for-peace/


iwanttodrink

Yep the school shooters are terrorists who need lots of firepower from the US dropped on them to be dislodged


ShareYourIdeaWithMe

Nah you got it the wrong way around. Their behaviour is what led to the laughing and mocking.


UnitedMouse6175

I’m sure the school shooters weren’t always the best kids either