Espionage: Difference between revisions

[[China]] has a very cost-effective intelligence program that is especially effective in monitoring neighboring countries such as [[Mongolia]], [[Russia]], and [[India]]. Smaller countries can also mount effective and focused espionage efforts. For instance, the [[Communist Party of Vietnam|Vietnamese communists]] had consistently superior intelligence during the [[Vietnam War]]. Some Islamic countries, including [[Libya]], [[Iran]], and [[Syria]], have highly developed operations as well. [[SAVAK]], the secret police of the [[Pahlavi dynasty]], was particularly feared by Iranian dissidents before the 1979 [[Iranian Revolution]].

 

Today, spy agencies target the [[illegal drug trade]] and [[terrorism|terrorists]] as well as state actors. Between 2008 and 2011, the United States charged at least 57 defendants for attempting to [[Chinese intelligence activity in other countries#United States|spy for China]].<ref>Arrillaga, Pauline. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/07/ap/national/main20060765.shtml "China's spying seeks secret US info."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519102542/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/07/ap/national/main20060765.shtml |date=May 19, 2011 }} ''AP'', 7 May 2011.</ref>