I certainly believe that improving our intelligence is of

When Jeff Sessions declared, “I certainly believe that improving our intelligence is of important national interest,” he was speaking not merely of spies and secrets, but of the sacred duty of a nation to cultivate wisdom, foresight, and understanding. His words echo an ancient truth—that the strength of any civilization lies not in its weapons or wealth, but in the clarity of its mind. For a people without intelligence—without knowledge, discernment, and the ability to perceive truth—becomes like a ship without a compass, adrift upon the stormy seas of fate.

At the heart of this statement lies a dual meaning. On one hand, it refers to national intelligence—the gathering of knowledge to protect a nation from harm. On the other, it carries a deeper, almost philosophical resonance: the call for collective enlightenment, the elevation of a society’s moral and intellectual understanding. In both senses, Sessions touches upon the same eternal law: that ignorance invites destruction, while wisdom ensures survival. The defense of a nation begins not with the sword, but with the mind that guides it.

The ancients understood this well. In the histories of Athens, it was not brute force that secured greatness, but the power of thought. The philosopher Pericles declared that Athens was an education to all of Greece, for her people prized understanding above all. Likewise, the mighty empires of Rome, China, and the Islamic Golden Age all rose upon the pillars of knowledge and intelligence—their scholars, thinkers, and strategists serving as sentinels of their destiny. When they neglected wisdom, when the pursuit of truth gave way to arrogance or complacency, their empires began to crumble. Thus, the lesson resounds across millennia: intelligence is the lifeblood of a nation’s endurance.

Yet intelligence, as Sessions implies, is not merely information—it is insight. To gather facts without understanding is to possess a map without knowing how to read it. True intelligence requires not only data, but interpretation, discernment, and moral vision. In the world of nations, this means the ability to see beyond immediate threats—to perceive patterns, anticipate dangers, and act with wisdom rather than impulse. In the world of individuals, it means the cultivation of clarity and critical thought, the refusal to be swayed by fear or deceit. For whether in governments or in hearts, blindness of mind leads inevitably to ruin.

Consider, for example, the story of the fall of Troy. The Trojans, proud and complacent, accepted the wooden horse as a gift of peace. Their enemies, the Greeks, had hidden within it—a masterpiece of cunning intelligence. Had the Trojans possessed discernment enough to question appearances, their city might have endured. But ignorance triumphed, and the fires of their downfall lit the night sky. This tale, though ancient, remains ever new: those who fail to improve their intelligence—who do not question, learn, or think deeply—invite destruction disguised as victory.

But let us not mistake this call for mere cunning or deceit. Sessions’s words remind us that national intelligence, in its highest form, must be guided by virtue. Knowledge without morality becomes manipulation; wisdom without conscience becomes tyranny. The purpose of intelligence, whether of the state or the spirit, is not domination, but preservation—the safeguarding of what is good, just, and humane. A nation that uses its knowledge to protect the innocent, to foresee conflict and avert it, to understand the world rather than exploit it—such a nation fulfills the true meaning of this quote.

So let this be the teaching: to improve intelligence is not only the work of governments—it is the work of every citizen. Read deeply. Question boldly. Seek to understand both your world and your fellow beings. A society enlightened in mind cannot be easily deceived, nor led astray by demagogues or false promises. Intelligence, in its truest form, is not espionage—it is awareness. It is the awakening of a people who see clearly, think freely, and act justly.

Therefore, remember this: a nation that invests in intelligence invests in its future. The individual who cultivates wisdom strengthens not only himself, but his community. And when both ruler and citizen walk in knowledge and integrity, the fabric of civilization becomes unbreakable. As the ancients would say, “The wise foresee danger and prepare; the fool sleeps in comfort until the storm comes.” Let us then be the wise—ever learning, ever questioning, ever vigilant—for the preservation of truth, justice, and peace depends upon the brightness of the human mind.