Dirty Wars author Jeremy Scahill explains the pitiful oversight in the US Senate re NSA

[snagglepuss]

[00:46] Let me tell you a story about what the sort of state of oversight is right now in the US Senate. There are a handful of US Senators that are allowed to go to what’s called a secured classified intelligence facility, a SCIP, and to review certain memos, not all, but certain memos the White House has deemed appropriate to share with Congress. Congress, by law, is supposed to be overseeing all of the actions that are conducted around the world on any given day. And there are certain members of Congress that are, by law, supposed to be briefed on covert actions, particularly lethal operations. The White House has been stone-walling Congress and not providing them with all of the documents about the kill program. How’s does an American citizen get on a kill list? How do they get off of a kill list, short of being killed in a hell-fire strike? So these, limited number of Senators and Representatives go into these padded rooms, essentially. They’re not allowed to bring a writing utensil. They can’t bring paper. They’re not allowed to bring anything with a battery. And they look at certain memos, not all that the White House has agreed to show them. And then, they’re not permitted to share what they’ve seen with anyone. Not their constituents. Not other lawmakers. That’s the state of oversight on some of the most sensitive operations. It’s thoroughly anti-democratic. The idea that even those that are elected with a mandate to oversee the actions of another branch of the US government, are basically just given part of the story, should be deeply offensive to all Americans.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2013/jun/25/dirty-wars-jeremy-scahill-video-interview#comment-24597205

[Warren Stupidity]

1. no its fine. nothing to see here. no permanent national security state.

no problem. three monkeys. no problem.

[Gregorian]

2. The emphasis is on war, not on health. I have a 90 year old neighbor

who lived next door to me all of my life, growing up. He has finally decided that it's time to move back to Germany, where he can get real health care.

We have the money. They just spend it on bombs instead of taking care of us. Why people aren't protesting has always been beyond me.

[deurbano]

11. Such insanely (and tragically) misplaced priorities...

I'm very sorry your neighbor has to relocate (from the country with "the greatest health care in the world&quot , at this stage in his life, just to get decent health care. That's pathetic. I have friends (family of 6) who moved to Australia (husband/dad is from Australia) for the same reason.

[kenny blankenship]

3. It was a joke under Bush, it's a joke still under Obama

Most transparent ever, indeed!

[rhett o rick]

4. But Snowden's girl friend was a pole dancer. Michael Hastings liked to use drugs, alcohol and drive

fast.

Rep Grayson, Sen Wyden, and Sen Udall are just looking for attention.

Jeremy Scahill is a racist Paulbot.

Everything known and unknown that the NSA, FBI, CIA, etc. is legal and necessary.

Choose the appropriate response.

[WillyT]

5. K & R !!!

[The Link]

6. Scahill smearing to commence soon.

[snagglepuss]

8. That's why I just posted this part of the transcript which is simply a factual description

of the pathetic state of so-called oversight.

[burnodo]

12. you mean NEW smearing

he's been smeared quite a bit recently

[marmar]

7. K&R

[Ford_Prefect]

9. Sounds like the functional definition of the 3rd way.

An almost completely invisible government run by thugs who masquerade as patriots, who are by statute and legal convention answerable to no one. One nation by definition perpetually at war with anyone else not already part of the machine. It is neither Republican nor Democratic in philosophy nor is it beholden to the voters of any block, faith or region. The main character in a spy movie once said their purpose is not to win or lose but to keep on playing the game.

It grows like a cancer consuming ever more money, more authority, more resources of all kinds, and the lives of anyone unwise enough to ask the big "WHY" or propose the big "WHY NOT". The Secret State has been growing and evolving for nearly 70 years.

As a child I always wondered what would have happened if they had not found a way to neutralize my favorite 1950's movie monster: The BLOB . I think I now have the answer: They didn't.

[L0oniX]

10. Well this info will tend to piss off the NSA luv'n assholes.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, snagglepuss.

[DirkGently]

14. It's almost like secret, theoretical oversight, controlled by those

supposedly being overseen ... isn't really oversight at all.

[Enthusiast]

15. Nothing to see here.

Notice a change for the worse in the nation? Happy about the way things are going?

[reusrename]

16. Is this "old news" or is it "hyperbole?" I never can keep it straight.

What are the talking points on this lack of oversight?

[Douglas Carpenter]

17. not only is it old news and hyperbole - this act of treason will cause innocent people to die

[snagglepuss]

18. The OP has nothing to do with Snowden

[nashville_brook]

19. kick

[Dustlawyer]

20. Lets break the corporate control by demanding COMPLETE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (CCFR)!

Elect a new batch of politicians who are committed to CCFR and publicly funded elections!