Anyone in the intelligence community will tell you this. Agencies are not going to give up power once you give to them. They always want more. 

There has to be a president who will come in and recognize that “oh, irrespective of what the situation is, the generals or the homeland security is going to say, ‘we need more,’ because that’s what they do.”

It’s their job to think about what types of further authorities and resources are sensible, and if indeed they, and what is just this sort of institutional imperative, almost like a cell that reproduces and continues growing. 

Matthew Petti is a national security reporter at the National Interest. Follow him on Twitter: @matthew_petti.

Image: Reuters