Spy Wars: Americans Need to Know More Than Snowden has Revealed

[Judi Lynn]

Published on Sunday, December 29, 2013 by the Los Angeles Times

Spy Wars: Americans Need to Know More Than Snowden has Revealed

We've been here before, in the 1960s and '70s, when spy agencies flagrantly violated civil rights in the name of national security

by Seth Rosenfeld

Thanks to Edward Snowden, we know a lot about what the National Security Agency has secretly been up to. As a result, Congress, a U.S. district court judge and the White House are considering ways to rein in the agency and protect our privacy. But we have yet to hear answers to key questions about how our intelligence agencies use the NSA's cache of data: Which Americans have been targeted, and why?

We know the NSA has compiled call records on virtually every American who has used a phone; vacuumed up Internet data such as chats, photographs, emails, videos and documents of targeted foreigners; and created a database from the "incidental collection" of Americans' Internet data that it says it may search without a court order. In the process, the NSA repeatedly exceeded its restrictions. And, significantly, its work has been driven by requests from "customer" agencies such as the FBI and CIA.

The Obama administration says the NSA's secret activities are legal and crucial to protecting the nation against terrorism. But similar national security claims led to granting our intelligence agencies great secrecy and power during the Cold War that in turn led to gross violations of our constitutional rights.

Only in the wake of the Watergate scandal and media reports based on leaks of classified information did Congress hold the first and, to date, the most thorough public hearings on intelligence activities with respect to the rights of Americans.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/saul-landau/cuban-american-entrepreneurs_b_2559965.html

[cantbeserious]

1. + 1,000 - Yes We Do

eom

[blkmusclmachine]

2. We need some Transparency, which has been sorely lacking in DC, despite Obama's phony rhetoric.

[Blue_Tires]

3. Been saying that from the start

and it's clear that we're *not* going to get it...Even Snowden himself has said repeatedly that he's just fine with the NSA, aside from the mass surveillance on U.S. citizens...I'll never get why instead of taking the opportunity of killing a thousand-headed monster, Snowden is happily content to cut off one or two heads and let the beast live (along with why DUers are by and large ok with this)...

I think Snowden has been playing an angle all this time...The whole charade has been nothing but one big tease...

[mitty14u2]

4. despite Obama's phony rhetoric.

Did you ever think The President walked into this honeycombed masters of secret shit or that he could be protecting Snowden, you have no F'ing Idea whats going on, Congress does not know much of whats going on, hold on to your hat, the real boogieman can come from within when 600 billion is spent on Defense and its been run by the last administrations cronies.

What are the big boys going to do with the Trillions sitting off shore, shit could hit the fan but the game plan is out, before you judge, know the game, your life's could depend on whats going to happen next.......... did you ever wonder why washington has come to a stand still but Wall Streets track is going full steam ahead?

You better pray Obama is a smart as we think he is, if some old retired generals don't come in and stand up, we all could be in a rude of wakening! We have a astounding amount of greedy bastards running things, having the game plane could be the only thing to slow them down and remember it wont be there kids dying if they start some hellish wars, they are not spending all this money to play Tiddly Winks.