OSS Didn't Always Mean Open Source Software
The archived page of the American link (in the UK it redirects to history.co.uk) explains what OSS meant before the World Wars. To quote: "Before 1940, the U.S. State Department, FBI and the different branches of the military all had their own security and counterintelligence operations, which did not easily share information with each other. With another war raging in Europe, however, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted greater coordination when it came to gathering and acting on intelligence. In July 1941, he tapped Colonel William J. Donovan, known as “Wild Bill,” for a newly created office, Coordinator of Information (COI)."
Fast-forward a bit and we have: "Each year, the OSS Society—which includes former OSS members and members of the U.S. intelligence, military and Special Operations communities—holds a dinner ceremony to honor members of its ranks for their wartime service. Last November, several members of Congress introduced a bill that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to surviving OSS veterans “in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II.” Though the U.S. Senate unanimously voted in favor of the legislation, and 320 representatives have signed on as co-sponsors, the measure has stalled in the House, due to a rule stating that a congressional medal bill needs a waiver by the House Leadership Executive Committee."
Last week we saw the US Department of Defence (formerly US Department of War; they 'rebranded' around the same time) infusing some dodgy surveillance/espionage companies with billions in cash, basically a form of stimulus or "bailout" from the US taxpayers, who will bear the brunt of national debt (they will "feel" the cost through inflation, tariffs, interest rates, lack of job openings, lower salaries and so on).
Those budgets and grants are "oligarchs all the way down", argues an associate, who jokingly drew:
/---MS
OSS -> CIA --<
\---Oracle
It's not entirely a joke. At least half of it is true. █
As someone put it in IRC this morning: "The US is being torn apart financially by tariffs, interest rates, and inflation."