The NSA always seemed like a strange name. Their primary function has always been cryptography and the mathematical research to power it, kind of like the national laboratories are to nuclear physics. Then at some point physical interception of the phone and internet networks got added on to that. But as far as I know, they do not do assassinations, psychological operations, etc. like the KGB or CIA does. It seems like it should have just been called the National Cryptologic Agency or something like that.