The North Pacific Intelligence Agency

[mcmasterdonia]

The North Pacific Intelligence Agency​

In August the the cabinet agreed that The North Pacific was in need of an official Intelligence Agency. The cabinet unanimously agreed on this matter, and approved of a charter that re-established the NPIA as a vital part of our security network. Since then, some of the longer serving members of the cabinet have been working behind the scenes to get this organization started.

During Delegate Blue Wolf's term, a group of individuals was convened to discuss the possibility of an imminent coup. There was significant debate about whether this was an organ of the government, or a private organization or oligarchy.

In order to dismiss these concerns, the public is clearly going to be aware that the NPIA exists. The public is going to be aware of who the Director of this organization is.

The first Director will be appointed by myself, future Directors will be appointed by the Delegate, in consultation with NPIA members. The Director shall be the public face of the NPIA, concerns can be addressed to the Director, and the Director will be responsible for communications with the Delegate, the Regional Assembly and the Security Council.

Membership in the NPIA will remain secret to protect our operatives. The Director will be responsible for inviting members to join the NPIA. Members will be admitted following a vote by NPIA members.

Members take an oath, and are expected to keep their membership secret and to take all necessary precautions to ensure that information gathered by the organization remains secret and only in authorized hands.

The first Director of the NPIA will be Eluvatar.

I invite citizens to make questions in this thread, should they have any.

 

[Alvino Castillon]

What are the main objectives of this organization? Also, congratulations to Eluvatar for his new role.

 

[Eluvatar]

What are the main objectives of this organization?

To protect the security of The North Pacific and its allies.

 

[mcmasterdonia]

What are the main objectives of this organization? Also, congratulations to Eluvatar for his new role.

To assess intelligence that we receive. To ensure that any intelligence that is highly relevant to our allies is informed to the Delegate and shared according to our treaty arrangements.

To assist the Security Council and the North Pacific Army in protecting the North Pacific from any and all threats.

There is of course the chance that the NPIA could investigate even the Delegate if there is the belief that he or she is a security threat to the region.

 

[Blue Wolf II]

I find it in bad tastes for the first NPIA director since its reboot to also be the person who spilled information for political gains and then tried to cover up the motivation behind the release.

Not to mention Eluvatar also has charges of Espionage & Impersonation filed against him in an open court case.

 

[DRUK]

Congratulations, Eluvatar!

 

[Gaspo]

I would ask the Delegate why there is no mention of oversight or accountability of this agency, given its previous incarnation's less than stellar history in this area.

Edit: With regard to the choice for first director, Eluvatar is a good friend and I don't object to choosing him for important positions. However, Eluvatar has strong ties to highly controversial extraregional organizations. What assurances do we have that his sole interest will be the security of this region? I'm not questioning his integrity, but there are a number of other choices for this position who do not bring with them such...obvious baggage.

 

[Cove]

I share the concerns of Wolf. Especially due to his position as Chief of Intel of the UDL.

 

[Romanoffia]

Congrats, Elu, on your appointment as NPIA director.

As one of the founding members of the original NPIA, I think you will do an excellent job as director!

 

[Crushing Our Enemies]

I see a large amount of overlap between the aims and purpose of the NPIA and those of the Security Council. I'm worried that at some point, wires could become crossed...

 

[Great Bights Mum]

I see a large amount of overlap between the aims and purpose of the NPIA and those of the Security Council. I'm worried that at some point, wires could become crossed...

The Security Council isn't a spy group. A nation is required to have a certain amount of endorsements and influence to be on the SC. Think of the SC as bulked-up bodyguards, ready for action should the need arise. The NPIA is more like the CIA in the US. They go around and, you know, spy.


Congrats, Elu!

 

[Gaspo]

I find it increasingly discouraging that none of the individuals involved in this process deem it necessary to address or even acknowledge the numerous concerns of the citizens, expressed in this thread.

 

[Crushing Our Enemies]

My concerns have been acknowledged and addressed, but I remain unconvinced. It seems to me now that we have two bodies convened to ensure the security of the region. One, the Security Council, is constitutional, relatively transparent, answerable to the Regional Assembly and the Court of TNP, and happens to be a long-standing pillar of government in TNP. The other, the NPIA, is mentioned nowhere in the constitution, completely opaque, answerable to no one but the appointed director, and was created to keep the delegate out of hot water when they feel like withholding evidence and shaming political opponents.

If I haven't made this clear already, I consider this the organizational successor to Eluvatar's extra-governmental group, and remain staunchly opposed to the existence of such organizations.

 

[Malvad]

My concerns have been acknowledged and addressed, but I remain unconvinced. It seems to me now that we have two bodies convened to ensure the security of the region. One, the Security Council, is constitutional, relatively transparent, answerable to the Regional Assembly and the Court of TNP, and happens to be a long-standing pillar of government in TNP. The other, the NPIA, is mentioned nowhere in the constitution, completely opaque, answerable to no one but the appointed director, and was created to keep the delegate out of hot water when they feel like withholding evidence and shaming political opponents.

If I haven't made this clear already, I consider this the organizational successor to Eluvatar's extra-governmental group, and remain staunchly opposed to the existence of such organizations.

The Security Council is here in the case of something happening to the delegate and the vice delegate that the region remains secure from threats. Also they maintain regional security (obviously).

The NPIA is for gathering information to maintain the security of the region. It has not been created to protect the delegate. Mcmasterdonia even mentioned that the delegate could be investigated. Also something does not have to be mentioned in the constitution for it to exist. The government can create anything necessary to maintain security and the laws of TNP.

 

[Gaspo]

That's an insane statement. That's like saying the government can create a secret police with the power to read all your PMs and steal your passwords, if it deems it necessary for your own good. We have an FoIA so that there can be accountability for our government, except OH WAIT we exempted all intelligence organizations, end of discussion. So there is no oversight, and no accountability. No supervision. The NPIA in its previons incarnations repeatedly skirted or violated TNP law, and stood in the way of investigations into its actions. There has been no effort made to address those concerns, or even to address them, by this government.

 

[Romanoffia]

That's an insane statement. That's like saying the government can create a secret police with the power to read all your PMs and steal your passwords, if it deems it necessary for your own good. We have an FoIA so that there can be accountability for our government, except OH WAIT we exempted all intelligence organizations, end of discussion. So there is no oversight, and no accountability. No supervision. The NPIA in its previons incarnations repeatedly skirted or violated TNP law, and stood in the way of investigations into its actions. There has been no effort made to address those concerns, or even to address them, by this government.

As having been a founding member of the 'previous' and original NPIA, I have to take exception at the statement that the "NPIA in its previons incarnations repeatedly skirted or violated TNP law, and stood in the way of investigations into its actions" for number of reasons.

The first reason was that the original NPIA was an intelligence gathering agency. That type of activity ranged from overt intel gathering (like reading other regional forums, etc.) which involved looking at publicly posted information available to everyone, to covert intelligence gathering operations which were quite legal and ethical by accepted standards. I know the methodology and none of it is in violation of the law, etc.,,, provided the current methodology is the same (which it would be, mechanically speaking)

As far as the issues involving 'obstructing investigations', you never want to compromise the integrity and methods of intelligence gathering under any circumstances in any way that exposes your operatives. Once you do anything that exposes your operatives you will suddenly find yourself in a position where no one will be willing to work with you.

The primary and single purpose of any intelligence organization is to gather intelligence, not act upon that intelligence - that is the purvey of other executive functions of the government in general.

The irony is that anything the NPIA can gather is anything anyone can find out if they are clever enough and know the appropriate methods. To expose those methods, especially the effective ones, is to render your entire intelligence community null and void.

And let me clarify that I have no connection with nor do I have any function or knowledge of the current NPIA. And being in that state of blissful ignorance makes me, well, blissfully ignorant.

I see a large amount of overlap between the aims and purpose of the NPIA and those of the Security Council. I'm worried that at some point, wires could become crossed...

The Security Council isn't a spy group. A nation is required to have a certain amount of endorsements and influence to be on the SC. Think of the SC as bulked-up bodyguards, ready for action should the need arise. The NPIA is more like the CIA in the US. They go around and, you know, spy.


Congrats, Elu!

Spying is such a kitchy word. Being 'nosey' in a pre-texting fashion is more accurate. By the way, Mum, that half full container of eggs in your fridge needs to be disposed of. The third egg from the left in the front row of the container has a crack in it. Oh, and I stole, er, borrowed that bottle of Bud Light you kept on the bottom rack behind the container of spoiled cottage cheese.

 

[Kiwi]

I think Roman addressed any concerns nicely.

Congratulations Elu. You will make a fantastic director.

I will note as current MoD that Elu has shown an unparalleled ability to keep his various roles in other orgs / regions entirely separate. If anything he should be commended on his ability to do so. As for any current charges against Elu, they are just that, charges. If he had a conviction for something, it might be different. Innocent until proven guilty, after all.

 

[Bokeryville]

Congrats Elu! I have full confidence in your abilities; we are in good hands.

 

[Gaspo]

Your post is all true from an operational standpoint, Roman. You also completely failed to address at least one massive controversy involving the NPIA, one which was never fully resolved. I know you know which one I'm talking about; it's that time the NPIA kinda sorta ordered someone to infiltrate The Pacific. Which wasn't a legal action to take. The government then spent a month dragging its heels until the issue went away. Your entire post completely sidestepped the issue of oversight. Noone is asking you to reveal your methods to the public. I'm not a moron; I understand the point of intelligence gathering. Real-world intelligence agencies in real-world governments structured as ours is, however, have limits placed on them which the public is aware of. The CIA can't conduct operations in the US; the NSA isn't supposed to be able to conduct surveillance of US citizens. The UK equivalents are similarly restricted.

The NPIA announcement listed above has no such guarantees, and you did not address those issues. There are no restrictions placed on the NPIA. Your statement that they are restricted to gathering intelligence is technically correct, but there are zero restrictions placed on how they get that intelligence. If the NPIA decides it wants to know what's going on in Osiris, or any of our other friendly regions, for example, there is nothing which presently bars them, as far as the public knows, from doing that.

Having an intelligence agency certainly requires that we trust our government, and I do. In exchange, well-intentioned governments typically restrict their actions, or explain in broad terms what they will, and will not, do. This government has made no effort to do such a thing, and has instead informed the citizenry of the region that an organization is being created, about which they cannot know anything, cannot ask anything, cannot question, and cannot have any assurances as to the intentions or legal restrictions of. That's a hell of a lot of trust to ask of us, given this region's tumultuous history, and it's a hell of a lot of trust to place in someone who, while being a great and trusted friend of mine, has a hell of a lot of loyalties which lie elsewhere as well as here. And our questions are being ignored. That, to me, is wrong.

 

[Gaspo]

It occurs to me that not everyone may be as familiar with the Legal Code as I've become. We have a way to check on our government here; it's called the Freedom of Information Act. You can find it in Chapter 6 Section 6.3. It outlines the terms and procedure for requiring the government to release information. It has adequate protections for classified, operationally-relevant data, which allow the courts to exercise confidential oversight over the disclosure of such materials.

Sounds good, right? Oh, there's one minor detail. Let me quote it for you:

21. All activities by the designated regional intelligence services are exempt from this law.

That is a blanket, unconditional exception. The way that that is worded means that under no circumstances other than by choice, ever, can the NPIA be obligated to tell anyone it doesn't want to tell, about anything it does. Its members, its name, the cafeteria schedule, nothing. Ten years from now, they can keep shit secret purely because they feel like it. There is zero oversight. They are not in any way accountable to the people whose trust they rely on, and whose best interests they may claim to act in. I don't want to know what they'er doing every single second; I want them to operate in an environment where someday, sometime, someone could make them tell. That distant fear of accountability is all that is needed to ensure that the law is kept in mind. That is not the law as it stands today. They can, quite legally, do whatever the fuck they want, and cite this law as a reason to immediately dismiss any FoIA requests. The courts would be obligated by law to dismiss any such claims, permanently barring any oversight. That's where my issue is. I hope that helps make things clearer for everyone, as to why I see this as such a huge issue. It's not about persistent ongoing oversight; it's about this being the only thing in the entire region of TNP that has zero oversight, and we're supposed to just trust that they're being honest, and can never, ever, no matter how long we wait, expect an answer to any questions. That doesn't feel like the TNP I know.

 

[Belschaft]

Is there anyone out there who's intelligence Elu doesn't run?

 

[Gaspo]

Is there anyone out there who's intelligence Elu doesn't run?

Gatesville and The Pacific. This system, as proposed, is structured remarkably similar to those two systems, actually. Interesting, that, given how radically different the NPO's government structure is, that they feel comfortable with a similar lack of public accountability in their intelligence services. Is that really what we want here in TNP?

I do know what I'm talking about with the NPO, btw - I kinda used to run their intel service.

 

[Gaspo]

Cormac pointed out an interesting note which I overlooked

9. Each Nation in The North Pacific is guaranteed the organization and operation of the governmental authorities of the region on fundamental principles of democracy, accountability, and transparency.

(Emphasis mine)

Please explain to me how this intelligence service is accountable to "Each Nation in The North Pacific", and in what way it is transparent? And not immediately transparent, Roman, but transparent ever.

 

[Belschaft]

I share the same concerns regarding oversight and transparency as most everyone else here. Removing the FoIA exception for Intelligence agencies for the CoL's would be a simple and logical step, but I do not think it would be sufficient. If the NPIA does it's job right, people will not know what to submit FoI requests on. As such, I suggest an oversight process be created here using the court. We're already the ones who rule on FoI requests when they come in, and as such it is a simple and logical step to require the Director of the NPIA to submit a monthly summary of activities to the Court for review. If there is something that needs looking at in more detail we can simply ask for it, and if we think something is dodgy release it under the FoIA.

 

[Kingborough]

Osiris has proven to use just how easy it is to infiltrate a government - when the court is elective and can easily therefore be staffed by agents working against the interests of the region, it would not be a very secure method of oversight.

 

[mcmasterdonia]

I find it in bad tastes for the first NPIA director since its reboot to also be the person who spilled information for political gains and then tried to cover up the motivation behind the release.

Not to mention Eluvatar also has charges of Espionage & Impersonation filed against him in an open court case.

Eluvatar is a trusted member of this regional community. He has served as it's Delegate on multiple occasions, is a long standing member of the security council, and has significant experience in intelligence gathering and the like. He seemed to be an ideal choice, given his experience and the trust that many in the region have for him.

Do I agree that mistakes were made in the last intelligence released? Yes. It should have been handled better, in a more official way at the very least.

I would ask the Delegate why there is no mention of oversight or accountability of this agency, given its previous incarnation's less than stellar history in this area.

Edit: With regard to the choice for first director, Eluvatar is a good friend and I don't object to choosing him for important positions. However, Eluvatar has strong ties to highly controversial extraregional organizations. What assurances do we have that his sole interest will be the security of this region? I'm not questioning his integrity, but there are a number of other choices for this position who do not bring with them such...obvious baggage.

Gaspo, you are quite right that the oversight issues will need to be addressed. I recall when I last looked through the archives, this issue was brought up relatively regularly, and featured strongly in Prime Minister Grosseschnauzers final speech as PM (at least I think it was his final speech).

For one thing, I want to point out that the NPIA is governed by a Charter. One written by the previous cabinet, which I would certainly like to review, to include more provisions relating to oversight.

For starters some matters of common sense. I believe that information relating to the security risks of the Delegate should be passed to the Security Council. They are tasked with dealing with such things at it is appropriate that they deliberate and vote upon such matters before deciding whether it is right to release that information/pursue that matter further. There will be some who won't like this idea much either, however I think it is better than leaving it up to the Director alone.

I think intelligence that is relating to matters of our allies should be disclosed to the Delegate. As our Delegate, I believe that he or she is responsible for dealing with such matters especially when they are covered under treaties.

I'm not opposed to Freedom of Information Disclosures either. I actually hadn't realized that particular section of the law that directly excluded them from that. I think it is something that will have to be addressed, and I am open to suggestions and ideas to deal with this.

In the meantime I will note that the Cabinet will be working on a redraft of the charter to include some oversight provisions.

My concerns have been acknowledged and addressed, but I remain unconvinced. It seems to me now that we have two bodies convened to ensure the security of the region. One, the Security Council, is constitutional, relatively transparent, answerable to the Regional Assembly and the Court of TNP, and happens to be a long-standing pillar of government in TNP. The other, the NPIA, is mentioned nowhere in the constitution, completely opaque, answerable to no one but the appointed director, and was created to keep the delegate out of hot water when they feel like withholding evidence and shaming political opponents.

If I haven't made this clear already, I consider this the organizational successor to Eluvatar's extra-governmental group, and remain staunchly opposed to the existence of such organizations.

While I find some aspects of your post to be on the wild side, I will do my best to address your concerns.

For anyone who has been in TNP for a while, they would be aware that an organization is not required to destroy or discredit political opponents. People attempt that here on a regular basis, an organization isn't needed to do that.

Secondly, I highly support the work that the Security Council does, and I agree with Great Bights Mum that there is a difference in what the organizations do. I think that the NPIA can compliment the work of the Security Council and visa-versa.

The idea of the announcement is not to put wind up you all, that the NPIA is breathing down your necks. It was announced for transparency reasons, because I believe in open and transparent government. There was the suggestion that this organization should remain entirely secret. I was against such an idea, as I do not wish to create a secret police or an oligarchy or anything of that kind.

Nonetheless I appreciate the fact that you took the time to read the announcement and shared your concerns on the matter.

Finally, this is a preliminary announcement. To give the public the heads up of what the Government is doing. And to provide for these types of discussions. The charter will be public, and will be redrafted by the cabinet to include some oversight provisions.

 

[Kingborough]

I find the reactions here funny - McMasterdonia had no duty to tell any of you that this thing even existed (the cabinet who created it even voted for it to remain secret when they reformed the NPIA) so you should be grateful he's been as transparent as he is being so far.

 

[Crushing Our Enemies]

I find the reactions here funny - McMasterdonia had no duty to tell any of you that this thing even existed (the cabinet who created it even voted for it to remain secret when they reformed the NPIA) so you should be grateful he's been as transparent as he is being so far.

Our cabinet's lack of dedication to the ideals of democracy disturbs me. In a democracy, all governmental power needs to be accountable to the citizenry. To concentrate the power to "gather information" in a single appointed official who isn't even accountable to the delegate who appointed him is unacceptable.

I've taken the first step to bring the NPIA under governmental oversight by proposing to eliminate the FOIA exception for intelligence services. This is by no means a complete solution, but more experienced and more skilled legislators than I will be needed for that.

 

[Great Bights Mum]

It's tricky to maintain transparency, openness and access to information without compromising the identities of the operatives and the details of covert operations. What I'm hearing is that an appointed NPIA Director isn't enough oversight. On the other hand, our long parade of court justices may not always offer the best choices for access to sensitive information. Do we want to elect the NPIA Director? Do we want some type of independent oversight committee? How much information do we want? Are there things that we shouldn't know?

 

[Gaspo]

I find the reactions here funny - McMasterdonia had no duty to tell any of you that this thing even existed (the cabinet who created it even voted for it to remain secret when they reformed the NPIA) so you should be grateful he's been as transparent as he is being so far.

I'll respond to the rest in a bit (just got home) but I wanted to single this out. You're suggesting we should be grateful when our elected officials answer our questions and abide by the principles of the region, including transparency, which is in the Bill of Rights. I applaud MCM for answering all these concerns when it is such a touchy issue, but I'm not grateful - I (and I suspect he as well) see this as his constitutional duty, to respond to questions posed about his government in as transparent a fashion as possible. We elected him; he's accountable to us, at the end of the day. He's done a good job of his duties, let there be no doubt, but it's not something he had zero obligation to do.

 

[punk d]

Good intelligence agencies never reveal much. Gaspo, you know this.

With the number of people here, a transparent intelligence agency in TNP would be of no use at all. I believe intelligence agencies must be the most discreet of all agencies with as few oversight links as possible. Yes, there needs to be some oversight, but I don't believe the RA is the body that should have oversight.

If the Security Council was that body, perhaps, but maybe not even that. Certainly not delegates, because we have far too much turnover in delegacies, imo, for that to work well.

I would suggest that 3 of the most senior Security Council members would be privy to reports made by the Executive Director on a monthly basis. If those Security Council members feel that there's anything improper going on, they can bring those concerns to a closed cabinet session meeting.

But I really want to stress that I think TNP having a strong intelligence agency is a very good thing. And strong intelligence agencies do their best work in secret. Too much oversight will give a transparent and useless NPIA. I believe in oversight, but we need to entrust a very small number of people to accomplish this goal.

 

[mcmasterdonia]

I find the reactions here funny - McMasterdonia had no duty to tell any of you that this thing even existed (the cabinet who created it even voted for it to remain secret when they reformed the NPIA) so you should be grateful he's been as transparent as he is being so far.

Our cabinet's lack of dedication to the ideals of democracy disturbs me. In a democracy, all governmental power needs to be accountable to the citizenry. To concentrate the power to "gather information" in a single appointed official who isn't even accountable to the delegate who appointed him is unacceptable.

I've taken the first step to bring the NPIA under governmental oversight by proposing to eliminate the FOIA exception for intelligence services. This is by no means a complete solution, but more experienced and more skilled legislators than I will be needed for that.

I'm a little concerned that it seems like you didn't read anything that I posted above.

The Government and Cabinet is committed to transparency and democracy. One of the key reasons for making the statement is transparency, another is so issues can be ironed out and a solution found.

I also very clearly stated that the Cabinet would attempt to draft a new Charter for the NPIA with some oversight provisions. To say that the cabinet is not dedicated to democracy or even transparency, disturbs me.

Gaspo is correct. Answering questions is my responsibility. In my election campaign I pledged to be a transparent and open leader, I will continue to strive for that. Remembering that this is a preliminary announcement, the NPIA is not immediately working to bash down your walls and spy on you.

I think Punk raises an interesting idea of the three member panel from the security council. Though this won't solve all issues, and I suspect not all would be happy with it.

I'd encourage members to be aware that the cabinet will be drafting a charter. This charter will be posted publicly for discussion/comments and amendments.

We need to keep this organization accountable to the region it serves. However we need to remain cautious that not all information and intelligence it finds is leaked, either through the court, or any other means. It's striking the balance.

 

[Crushing Our Enemies]

The Government and Cabinet is committed to transparency and democracy.

If that was the case, they wouldn't have voted to keep the NPIA entirely secret.

I look forward to the deliberations on the charter.

 

[mcmasterdonia]

The Government and Cabinet is committed to transparency and democracy.

If that was the case, they wouldn't have voted to keep the NPIA entirely secret.

I look forward to the deliberations on the charter.

I guess then you are talking about the previous cabinets/government and not the current one. It's also noteworthy I believe that the charter was approved as a for now, i.e. until we induct some members into the organization. Not before the real work starts.
The current government has not voted on this charter, and it was my decision to make this organization public and to review the charter as well as making the draft and final copy publicly viewable.

 

[Crushing Our Enemies]

Whichever cabinet Kingborough was talking about.

 

[Romanoffia]

Your post is all true from an operational standpoint, Roman. You also completely failed to address at least one massive controversy involving the NPIA, one which was never fully resolved. I know you know which one I'm talking about; it's that time the NPIA kinda sorta ordered someone to infiltrate The Pacific. Which wasn't a legal action to take. The government then spent a month dragging its heels until the issue went away. Your entire post completely sidestepped the issue of oversight. Noone is asking you to reveal your methods to the public. I'm not a moron; I understand the point of intelligence gathering. Real-world intelligence agencies in real-world governments structured as ours is, however, have limits placed on them which the public is aware of. The CIA can't conduct operations in the US; the NSA isn't supposed to be able to conduct surveillance of US citizens. The UK equivalents are similarly restricted.

The NPIA announcement listed above has no such guarantees, and you did not address those issues. There are no restrictions placed on the NPIA. Your statement that they are restricted to gathering intelligence is technically correct, but there are zero restrictions placed on how they get that intelligence. If the NPIA decides it wants to know what's going on in Osiris, or any of our other friendly regions, for example, there is nothing which presently bars them, as far as the public knows, from doing that.

Having an intelligence agency certainly requires that we trust our government, and I do. In exchange, well-intentioned governments typically restrict their actions, or explain in broad terms what they will, and will not, do. This government has made no effort to do such a thing, and has instead informed the citizenry of the region that an organization is being created, about which they cannot know anything, cannot ask anything, cannot question, and cannot have any assurances as to the intentions or legal restrictions of. That's a hell of a lot of trust to ask of us, given this region's tumultuous history, and it's a hell of a lot of trust to place in someone who, while being a great and trusted friend of mine, has a hell of a lot of loyalties which lie elsewhere as well as here. And our questions are being ignored. That, to me, is wrong.

It was not The Pacific that infiltrated, incidentally, it was the NPO (New Pacific Order). At the time, a legally declared state of war existed between The North Pacific government (in exile) and it was conducted purely and legitimately to obtain information necessary to rid TNP of a Rogue/Usurper Delegate, IIRC. No one was ordered to infiltrate. It was an intelligence gathering operation which was essentially conducted by an 'independent contractor' in intel lingo. This type of infiltration was done by the NPO on TNP and was a tit-for-tat during a declared war. Totally legal, totally legitimate and totally ethical.

Again, a state of war existed and such infiltration was done to our government by the NPO, and the entire operation was required if we wanted our region back. All in all, a total success. As per RL intelligence operations, I know a few things about that subject but I will leave that one alone.

The restrictions placed upon the original NPIA was that no actions could be taken that would be illegal in RL or under any treaties concerning interaction with other forums. That mean, no hacking, trashing or crashing. Again, the NPIA was overly-ethical which was an extreme accomplishment because many of our opponents were not so ethical in terms of nation hacking, etc.

One of the benefits of this particular operation was that I discovered exactly how someone was hacking nations by hiding something similar to an application/octet stream in the JPEG or BMP file that was displayed as a nation flag. All you had to do was to view that nation's flag and your passwords would be compromised if you weren't running a good AV or firewall program. And that is why the size of nation flag files was pared down to a size too small for this to be done, IIRC. And, that particular information was garnered via a pretexting based conversation with a member of the NPO via IRC chat. I lost one nation due to hacking via this means (which really pissed me off) and had a really good programmer figure out how it was done, and then I had someone verify exactly which individual(s) did this. And this is the type of shenanigans (I always wanted to use that word!) is exactly the type of information you get via infiltration of an enemy organization that seeks to do harm to the region.

When you are dealing with people that want to damage the region, you have to figure out exactly what they are up to, which means you have to be able to think like them, which means you must get inside that enemy organization and learn how they think, their methodology and what their schedule of actions is. Simple and legitimate procedure. Had this infiltration not been legitimate and ethical I can guarantee that you would never have heard about it at all.

And be very glad the the existence of the NPIA is publicly known. Most other regions would keep such an organization in the black ops department. In fact, most other regions do exactly that.

In intelligence operations (or any other operations, intelligence or otherwise) there is a filter called a 'need to know' protocol. The purpose of such a protocol is so that field operatives, per se, only concern themselves with their specific task and leave analysis to analysts who are also working on a need to know protocol.

I'm probably the only one left from the original NPIA and I only know bits and pieces because I specifically requested that I only be made privy to information that I needed to know in terms of analytics. As I said earlier in the thread, it's called 'blissful ignorance' - and that means that anyone in the old NPIA only held one or two pieces to a puzzle so that should something slip up, any leaked information would look mundane or irrelevant. It was a good structure of command, communication and control. I hope the current NPIA has these appropriate protocols in place.

 

[Kingborough]

@COE and Gaspo; That would be the cabinet of the delegacy of Blue Wolf. I did say "the cabinet who reformed it" on purpose. I don't generally speak of my self in third person.

 

[Gaspo]

Your rationale is simply laughable. Show me the declaration of war (noone could show one at the time, let alone now), and your logic leads me to believe (given that the same NPO still exists) that you consider the current government of The Pacific to be illegitimate and therefore an at-war entity with regard to TNP. Is that correct?

Also, I can think of at least three original NPIA members who are still around, not counting you. You're not the "only one left".

 

[Blue Wolf II]

@COE and Gaspo; That would be the cabinet of the delegacy of Blue Wolf. I did say "the cabinet who reformed it" on purpose. I don't generally speak of my self in third person.

If this is true, it was done without my knowledge, meaning that it wasn't the NPIA at all, but some illegal and non-government approved group.

 

[Joshua]

Roma do you know why Mesian was sent to spy on the NPO?