The media barely commented when the U.S Defence Department announced it was going to recruit more than 1,600 new spies, and assemble a spy network to rival that of the CIA.   The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has traditionally focused on providing military intelligence relating to current conflicts. But the growth of the “security” apparatus seems unstoppable since 9/11.  Islamist militant groups in Africa, weapons-trading in North Korea and Iran, and the military build-up in China are the targets of this new set of operatives.  The CIA itself has also expanded greatly since 9/11: it now has 2,000 agents working on counter-terrorism, up from 300 and there is talk of converting it into a para- military group.

All in all this seems to be a replay of the Cold War, when at least there was a plausible possibility of nuclear war.  In truth, this is the military/industrial complex at work,expanding its power and revenue once again.  You kill innocent civilians with drones, then send in spies to seek out the newly created militants, made so by the careless cruelty of drone warfare.  To be fair, many people in the Administration have serious qualms about the War on Terror and want it brought to an end.  But will the war profiteers let them? It seems likely that borrowing even more money from China to spy on China will be nodded through.

I suspect Epicurus would not be surprised to learn of the concept of eternal war for the financial benefit of the few, something that reflects  little credit on everyone involved.

This post is not about politics; it is about ethics, or maybe a deficit thereof.