So, in May Obama asks Congress to overturn the AUMF and set up a privacy watchdog

[Recursion]

at NSA and CIA.

In June, a former CIA agent who had then contracted for the NSA released a ton of documents about the NSA, and none about the CIA.

Hmm.

[Peacetrain]

1. Whoa whoa whoa.. back this up..

Are you talking Snowden??.. and none of his releases had anything to do with the CIA.. my head is starting to spin

[Recursion]

2. Snowden worked for the CIA first (well, after the Army)

He had diplomatic cover in Geneva (on his first assignment, which still is weird to me) and was distressed that the CIA lured a banker into getting a DUI so they could "help" him out. Then he worked as a contractor for the NSA.

[Peacetrain]

3. Ay yi yi yi yi..

This whole thing just gets murkier and murkier..

[Recursion]

4. It does

Also keep in mind there was a separate leak about FBI phone activities just before Snowden's that kind of got lost in the maelstrom.

[JaneyVee]

7. 2 words: TURF WAR!

[Recursion]

8. Yep. One that Langley is winning hands down

Though it seems to have gotten a bit out of hand.

[hootinholler]

5. WTF are you on about?

Just making up woo wholesale?

[Recursion]

10. My old theory that this is a turf war between CIA and NSA

a turf war that the CIA is winning.

[hootinholler]

16. Um, let me think a sec.

No.

Seriously, to what benefit to the CIA is such a plot?

There's a place for this sort of stuff.

[Recursion]

17. Getting the NSA's money and missions

The enmity between the two is hardly a secret, hoot.

[Raine1967]

21. I remember you said that, Recursion.

I remember that post on DU.

I think you have a valid point.

[The Magistrate]

6. I Expect We Share The View, Sir, There Are No 'Former' Agents...

"Once in, never out.'

[Recursion]

9. Pretty much.

I've mused a few times that we're witnessing a turf war between Langley and Ft. Meade that has managed to get way, way out of hand.

[The Magistrate]

11. There Has Always Been, Sir, A 'How'd The Kid Fetch Up Right There?' Element To This....

You pose an interesting line of thought here.

"Not nearly enough for a conviction, but more than enough to break knees in an alley."

[hootinholler]

13. Kid? He's like 30

Which is like 60 in geek years.

I'm surprised you would lend support to such unfounded allegations. How would such a move benefit the CIA?

[Recursion]

15. Hurting the NSA benefits the CIA

They've been after each other's money since they were founded.

[The Magistrate]

18. Younger Than My Kids, Sir, Is A Kid

And the most ridiculous view of this matter is that this kid sprung this out of his principled dedication to liberty; that can pretty much be ruled out from the get-go.

If one takes his own account of his life as factual, he worked for the C.I.A., and he went into employment with Booz-Allen intending to steal data. This is certainly consistent with the view proposed by Mr. Recursion.

[hootinholler]

22. So your claim is that the altruistic plot is cover?

Or is impossible for some reason?

I don't know about Mr Snowden's motives, I simply fail to grasp how the CIA gets more money from this. If they are hurting for funds they can sell a little more heroine, eh?

I will give you that the story line fits the broad strokes and the CIA isn't above a good ratfucking, but I would hope there was a better payday than what is visible.

[The Magistrate]

26. Altruism Is Frequently A Pose, Sir

In Mr. Snowden I see nothing compelling me to suspect otherwise.

Certainly the agencies do war for money and status, and young men whose judgement is poor can easily be the weapons employed.

I simply think our Mr. Recursion posits something that is worth thinking about here.

[Downtown Hound]

12. Is this your new memo?

Now it's not about Snowden being a traitor, it's not about him giving secrets to the Chinese, and of course, it's never been about NSA spying, no. Apparently now it's a "turf war." Ignore everything else.

[Recursion]

14. I've been saying this since Snowden surfaced

Getting diplomatic cover in Geneva on his first assignment still just doesn't pass the BS detector for me.

[Downtown Hound]

19. Well, if it's a turf war, I'm rooting for the CIA

Although both can pretty much go to hell.

[Recursion]

20. Oh God no. Rethink that.

If you have to choose between Langley and Ft. Meade, you want Ft. Meade. There's a reason Democrats like the NSA and Republicans like the CIA.

[Downtown Hound]

23. News bulletin, I don't like either of them

But the NSA can go fuck itself for what it's done to the fourth amendment.

[ProSense]

24. Interesting. n/t

[Logical]

25. I keep hearing Snowden did not release anything not already public. So big deal. n-t

[BumRushDaShow]

27. Hmmmm