In The Blogs

How Much Does U.S. Spend on Spying? Almost $60 Billion

| Tue Oct. 28, 2008 1:27 PM PDT

How much do the spies of the US government spend on their spying? Over $47 billion a year, according to budget numbers released on Tuesday by the Director of National Intelligence. And if you count the military intelligence program, the total amount is closer to $60 billion. This is only the fourth time in U.S. history that the government has publicly disclosed the intelligence budget. Secrecy News explains:

The aggregate intelligence budget figure (including national, joint military and tactical intelligence spending) was first released in 1997 ($26.6 billion) in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the Federation of American Scientists. It was voluntarily released in 1998 ($26.7 billion). The National Intelligence Program budget was next disclosed in 2007 ($43.5 billion), in response to a Congressional mandate, based on a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. And then there was today's release for 2008.

In recent years, the most passionate opponent of intelligence budget disclosure has been none other than Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), whose own financial non-disclosure practices have recently earned him multiple felony convictions.

In an October 4, 2004 Senate floor debate, Senator Stevens usefully marshaled all of the traditional arguments against disclosure. Most of them were false at the time. Others have since been disproven.

"No other nation, friend, or ally, reveals the amount that it spends on intelligence," Sen. Stevens said then.

In fact, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands and other countries have published their intelligence budgets for many years without adverse effect.

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"Determining classification is the responsibility and duty of the chief executive of the United States, the President, who is also Commander in Chief," said Sen. Stevens. "Presidents Truman through Bush has determined that the overall intelligence budget top-line figure is, and shall remain, classified, and I believe we should not overrule that judgment."

But Congress shares responsibility for defining the terms of the classification system. And as a factual historical matter, President Clinton approved disclosure of the intelligence budget total.

To read more about Stevens--regarding a matter not involving a high-priced massage chair--click here.

David Corn is Mother Jones' Washington bureau chief. For more of his stories, click here. He's also on Twitter.

Comments

Submitted by DemoPublicans, Every One (not verified) on Tue Oct. 28, 2008 5:01 PM PDT.

How Much Does U.S. Spend on Spying? Almost $60 Billion

And which candidates for president have been proposing to cut out such international excesses? To spend what's necessary to have a Department of Defense actually defending America, rather than keeping hundreds of thousands of US troops in foreign lands, making sure foreign countries toe our line?

Certainly Not John McCain.
Certainly Not Barack Obama.

Try Bob Barr, Ralph Nader or Chuck Baldwin if you want to see such foreign cloak & dagger monkey business done away with.

Try

Submitted by Bill Nigh (not verified) on Wed Oct. 29, 2008 1:12 AM PDT.

Hey People,

Just how much is America worth..?

Sounds like this scum bag thinks it is LESS than $60 billion...

What a moron.

Maybe if HIS family was slaughtered in 9/11, then he might change his tune..HUH..?

Bill

Submitted by Baltimoron (not verified) on Wed Oct. 29, 2008 3:43 AM PDT.

47.5? 60? So, what does this money get us?

Disclosure doesn't count for much if Americans don't confront the facts and debate the choices.

Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Wed Oct. 29, 2008 4:31 AM PDT.

Bill Nigh, your trolling comments show what a total moron you are. The cost of intelligence does not equal the value of the country. What is being called into question is what the return-on-investment is for that $60B. Perhaps some of it is supposed to prevent future 9/11's or help catch Bin Laden, some of it is also spent spying on peaceniks, eco-groups, watching the whereabouts of foreign leaders, trying to overthrow foreign leaders we don't like, etc.

Submitted by DaveD (not verified) on Wed Oct. 29, 2008 4:37 AM PDT.

Yeah Bill, if "HIS family was slaughtered in 9/11, then he might change his tune..HUH..?". In that case He just might be even *more* convinced that the money is wasted!

Perhaps it would do more good if it was used for education, health care, feeding the hungry, or other things that actually serve to *help* the citizens.