this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2025

362 points (97.6% liked)

News

30472 readers

3376 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil

Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.

2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.

Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.

3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.

Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.

4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.

Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.

5. Only recent news is allowed.

Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.

6. All posts must be news articles.

No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.

7. No duplicate posts.

If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.

8. Misinformation is prohibited.

Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.

9. No link shorteners.

The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.

10. Don't copy entire article in your post body

For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

rjc@lemmy.world

Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world

Tenthrow@lemmy.world

JonsJava@lemmy.world

gedaliyah@lemmy.world

little_cow@lemmy.world

jeffw@lemmy.world

enu@lemmy.world

WrenFeathers@lemmy.world

admiralpatrick@lemmy.world

jordanlund@lemmy.world

362

As U.S. braces for Iranian attack, a 'brain drain' weakens its defenses, former officials say (www.nbcnews.com)

submitted 3 days ago by Mojave@lemmy.zip to c/news@lemmy.world

45 comments fedilink hide all child comments

As the United States faces possible retaliatory attacks from Iran, a “brain drain” in top Justice Department and FBI national security and counterterrorism units could reduce their ability to prevent potential terror and cyber attacks from Tehran, according to six former senior DOJ and FBI officials.

Staff levels in the DOJ National SecurityDivision’s Law and Policy section have dropped by as much as two-thirds, two former DOJ officials said. Its counterintelligence and export control section — which tracks foreign espionage in the U.S. by Iran and other foreign rival — has lost about a third of its workforce, two former DOJ official said.

A former senior FBI official said he was aware of at least 20 national security personnel who had left the bureau in the last 3 months.

top 45 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago

It was done on purpose as a benefit to putin

[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago

A nation of idiots. And now a nation of idiots with no scientists or engineers.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone 76 points 3 days ago (3 children)

tfw people choose to not be a part of your fascist regime 😱

No matter what Trump's intention was here, he just created a huge mess that his enemy has every reason to drag him into. Unfortunately, innocent people will be the ones on the front lines, like always. There will probably be decades of suffering, bitterness, and death, with every drop of blood being on his hands. This move was stupid and will probably serve no one.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This move was stupid and will probably serve no one.

Every terrorist attack not prevented by the brain-drained FBI etc. will be used as an excuse for Trump to tighten the screws of totalitarianism.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 2 days ago

and yet, that probably won't make up for the headache it'll be for him otherwise. We were already heading towards maximum authoritarianism, so it's not like the course is adjusted.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago

This move was stupid and will probably serve no one.

It serves his masters. The defense industry is about to make bank, and all it costs is a few million dead Americans

[+] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io -7 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Unfortunately, innocent people will be the ones on the front lines, like always.

If you willingly go to shoot up brown people halfway across the world, how innocent can you really be?

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Innocent Iranians will get killed by more bombs.
Innocent Americans will get killed by terrorist attacks.
Innocent shipping crews will get killed by increased attempts to close down regional traffic
I’d been go so far as to say innocent Israelis will get killed as local terrorism and assasinations ramp up, and yet more innocent lives lost as Israel overreacts even more strongly
many innocent lives will be lost if Russia decides to supply Iran with nuclear material

[–] Derpenheim@lemmy.zip 19 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Bobby was solicited at 16 by an army recruiter that said he'd have a desk job and free college. Bobby is a mechanic in the states for 2 years, and sent on an overseas tour as infantry as soon as he turns 18. If he doesn't go, he'll be put in jail and dishonorably discharged.

This is the reality of our current recruitment efforts. The number of people that say "I want to shoot terrorists" is very low, and they get kicked out at the psych eval.

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If the alternative is killing some innocent villagers who didn't do anything, they should choose the prison sentence. They are still making a choice, even if that choice may have consequences trying to force them to the alternative.

[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

While I don't fully disagree, dishonorable discharge is already effectively a sentence to starve to death on the streets. It makes it incredibly tough to get a job in the States, if not impossible in a lot of places. With the death of a thousand cuts to the welfare system and the fact that minorities and poor whites are overwhelmingly represented in the military, your choice narrows down to "either deploy or get beaten to death by cops in 5 years."

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago

And Bobby might just be at a base in the region at the invitation of local government helping protect regional stability, not “shooting up brown people”. He is innocent yet now a legitimate target

[–] psychadlligoat@piefed.social -2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Bobby was solicited at 16 by an army recruiter that said he'd have a desk job and free college.

Bobby is an idiot not paying attention and made his choice, stop pretending these people aren't able to make decisions on their own

[–] AlexanderTheDead@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago

Reminder that we are talking about teenagers being groomed and targeted by adult military recruiters.

Reminder that we are talking about teenagers that are almost completely politically unaware because they can't vote yet and have no reason to know what's going on.

Reminder that we are talking about teenagers who can't vote, can't smoke, can't drink, at 16 maybe can't drive yet, but are old enough to be recruited by adults who are introduced to them as trusted government officials, usually through our own education system.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Yes, Bobby is an idiot, by definition. He is 16, indoctrinated, poorly educated, and pumped to the gills with testosterone. He is easily manipulated by a propaganda mill that has been systematically brainwashing almost everyone since long before he got his first toy soldier, before he saw the flyover at the big ball game, since the first war movie where his countrymen were the heroes. And this same system that fucks with his head is the same system that fucks him into a life of poverty, then promises him prosperity if he signs up. Bobby has almost no defenses against this war machine.

Stop pretending that ordinary people have the skill to reject decades of government and social propaganda from childhood. Stop pretending that regular citizens are able make decisions independently of the influence from professional psychological manipulators.

[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Also, they specifically learned during Iraq 2 to target poor kids. Turns out it's easy to get them to sign on if you tell them "hey, you don't need to have finished HS, and when you get out, you'll have your college paid for and job prospects lining up for you if you don't wanna do college" - something a lot of these kids wouldn't have otherwise.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago

It wasn't even a lie. I never would have gotten my life in order without signing up. My life was falling apart. Fortunately, my ship during deployment only saved lives. Nobody died on our account. But that wasn't guaranteed.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io -1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

True, but that doesn't excuse Bobby shooting up brown people in the Middle East. Joining the military and being surprised when you're deployed to fight wars is pure FAFO.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

It doesn't excuse it, but it definitely does explain why Bobby thought he was the good guy and the other people were bad guys. If you're only gonna pin the blame on Bobby, you're never gonna understand and fix the real problem. Bobby isn't just another guilty party. He's a victim of the psychopaths in power too.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I agree; I just wanted to push back against the idea that American soldiers who go invade countries halfway across the world for oil and genocide are innocent. Victims yes, but not innocent. Glorification and whitewashing of the military is part of how America got here.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Most people who join the military aren't doing it with the idea of protecting oil by committing genocide. The murderous types are frequently kicked out of basic training, for that reason. Most people who join believe that they are protecting their country from people who would do it harm. Before this current administration, there was still a sense that our leaders could be at least somewhat trusted to sometimes do the right thing.

[–] JandroDelSol@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not the person that you're responding to, but I don't only pin the blame on Bobby. I acknowledge that the US Military propaganda hits hard, but Bobby still has agency.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Bobby absolutely has agency. But he has never had the privilege of an unbiased perspective free of weaponized propaganda.

[–] brendansimms@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

"Yes, Bobby is a Nazi, but it's just how he was raised!'

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yes, that is exactly how Nazis are made. Pretending otherwise isn't going to fix the problem.

But there is a big difference between the average American soldier and fucking Nazis. If you can't tell the difference, you'll never be part of the solution to that problem.

[–] JandroDelSol@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Exactly! Like, I understand that the propaganda machine runs deep, but come on, it's not that hard to realize that joining the military means contributing to the deaths of innocents. I was targeted by a recruiter, and I told him to fuck right off.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago

it works, top gun Maverick convinced men to meet the quota of certain branches last year. When they were in a recruitment decline

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 2 days ago

You goof; the innocents won't be soldiers, or even just Americans. Innocent Iranians will be killed by American attacks while Innocent Americans will be killed by theirs. This war will escalate until Trump gives up, as it is not in Iran's best interest to deescalate. They seem ready for the long game, which is where their advantage lies.

[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 28 points 3 days ago (1 children)

"US braces for Iranian attack"? Really? We're doing the red-light-orange-light terror alert again?

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I've never been less nervous about an "attack" fear ain't going to get anywhere this time.

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

We need to utilize this offensively against Trump, though.

"Are you safer now than you were a couple of weeks ago?" The answer is a resounding no. As little risk though they may be, the odds of an Iranian terrorist attack was less then than it is now for me and my family.

Trump has thus made America less safe by dragging us into another war while food prices remain high.

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 days ago

I’m hoping they know the red/blue divide, and the device goes off in a red state. Mara Lago area would be the most symbolic.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Is down whit USA some kind of play on words or did the US bimb their English spell check facility?

[–] Snowpix@lemmy.ca 21 points 3 days ago (2 children)

They definitely "bimbed" yours already lmao

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago

Lmao, I've never mistyped bombed as "bimbed" in my life, and even my phone tried to fix it immediately when I tried to type it now, but, of course, I fuck it up when I make a joke about poor spelling! Damn karma.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I can see that one being intentional; a verb with the root "bimbo"

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Nah I fucked up.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

What a bombo

[–] cook_pass_babtridge@feddit.uk 3 points 2 days ago

The placards were designed by Lil Jon

https://youtu.be/Z2QNLU9wV9U