You can't get closer to the heart of national sovereignty than

The words of Gijs de Vries, spoken with the calm authority of a statesman who has seen the hidden machinery of nations, pierce to the core of political truth: “You can’t get closer to the heart of national sovereignty than national security and intelligence services.” In these few words lies a revelation — that beneath the banners and parliaments, beyond the speeches and ceremonies of state, the very heart of sovereignty beats quietly in the shadows, where security and intelligence guard the soul of a nation. For a people’s independence does not live only in their laws or their borders, but in their power to know, to foresee, and to protect.

To understand this, we must look deeply into the meaning of sovereignty. It is not merely the right to rule, but the sacred ability to decide one’s own fate. A sovereign nation is like a ship at sea, steering its own course amidst storms and rival fleets. But what captain can command his vessel if he knows not the winds or the hidden reefs beneath the surface? Thus are intelligence services the eyes and ears of the state — unseen, but essential. Without them, the proudest kingdom sails blind, at the mercy of enemies who know more than it does.

History gives us many warnings of this truth. In the days before the Second World War, France possessed mighty armies and grand alliances, yet its intelligence failed to see the swiftness and strategy of the enemy that approached. The Maginot Line stood strong, but the German tanks rolled around it — guided by knowledge and speed. Meanwhile, across the Channel, Britain built its safety not only on strength but on awareness. The codebreakers at Bletchley Park, working in silence and secrecy, deciphered the German Enigma. Their quiet triumph saved thousands of lives and changed the course of the war. In that hidden room of thinkers and patriots, national sovereignty was preserved — not by the sword, but by the mind.

Thus, when de Vries speaks of national security, he speaks not of paranoia or fear, but of vigilance — the eternal duty of a free people to remain awake. A nation that neglects its defenses, or disdains the art of intelligence, leaves its destiny in the hands of others. Yet, the reverse is also true: a nation that wields security without conscience may lose the very liberty it seeks to defend. The heart of sovereignty beats strongest when security serves justice, when intelligence guards not merely borders, but the moral soul of a people.

Consider the tale of Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled in an age of treachery and plots. Against her, enemies conspired in courts and cathedrals, seeking to end her reign. But she had in her service Sir Francis Walsingham, her spymaster and sentinel. Through his vast web of agents and informants, he uncovered schemes that might have toppled the throne. The queen’s crown endured not only because she was brave, but because she was informed. Her sovereignty was not a gift of chance, but the fruit of wisdom and preparation. In her reign, as in all enduring empires, knowledge was power — and secrecy, salvation.

The lesson for our own time is no less urgent. Sovereignty begins not in pride, but in awareness. It is not enough for nations to boast of their independence; they must also protect it. Every citizen, too, shares in this sacred duty. To be watchful of truth, to question falsehood, to value knowledge over noise — these are the personal acts of security that sustain a free society. For when citizens become careless with truth, even the strongest fortress crumbles from within.

Therefore, remember this teaching: the heart of sovereignty is not merely the flag that flies above, but the unseen guardians who keep it aloft — the thinkers, the watchers, the servants of the common good. Their labor is often thankless, their victories invisible, yet their vigilance is the pulse of freedom itself. A nation that forgets them, or scorns their necessity, will one day awaken to find its sovereignty no longer its own. Guard knowledge, cherish truth, and remain awake — for these are the first duties of a sovereign people.