Domestic Spying

[deepthunk]

i have little doubt this topic has been brought up before, however i'm interested in hearing a liberal take on this issue.

as an independent i feel free to compliment or criticize either party whenever i feel its necessary and justified. which is why i would VARY much like to know why obama hasn't requested a FULL justice department investigation into the activities of the N.S.A.

after all we know the Bush administration appointed the current head of the N.S.A., we know that the agency is in charge of domestic surveillance programs, and we know full well how far the bush administration was willing to go to abuse his power for political reasons.

please understand, i'm not trying to say that the N.S.A. might pull a Nixon and funnel private info to the G.O.P., but don't the facts at least warrant a justice department investigation?

 

[shintao]

i have little doubt this topic has been brought up before, however i'm interested in hearing a liberal take on this issue.

as an independent i feel free to compliment or criticize either party whenever i feel its necessary and justified. which is why i would VARY much like to know why obama hasn't requested a FULL justice department investigation into the activities of the N.S.A.

after all we know the Bush administration appointed the current head of the N.S.A., we know that the agency is in charge of domestic surveillance programs, and we know full well how far the bush administration was willing to go to abuse his power for political reasons.

please understand, i'm not trying to say that the N.S.A. might pull a Nixon and funnel private info to the G.O.P., but don't the facts at least warrant a justice department investigation?

I think Obama is so dead set on not causing a ripple in the water, for watever reason, is willing to let murderers, torturers, and rapist conitnue to roam free in America. So much for the justic system I once knew.

There are two justice systems. I call the Elite justice system the other world justice system, where punishment for crimes is based on power & influence. And the real justice system is the one we reside in, where a begger is sent to prison for stealing a donut.

 

[Intense]

Th IC is Totally under the President's Jurisdiction. I believe Prez Obama has whatever access He want's.


7. What is the U.S. Intelligence Community?
The Intelligence Community (IC) is a federation of executive branch agencies and organizations that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the United States. Members include: Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Energy (Office of Intelligence & Counterintelligence), Department of Homeland Security (Office of Intelligence & Analysis), Department of State (Bureau of Intelligence & Research), Department of Treasury (Office of Intelligence & Analysis), Drug Enforcement Administration (Office of National Security Intelligence), Federal Bureau of Investigation (National Security Branch), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, National Security Agency/Central Security Service, and specified elements of the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard, United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) serves as the head of the Intelligence Community (IC), overseeing and directing the implementation of the National Intelligence Program and acting as the principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to national security.


6. Who is the head of NSA/CSS?
The Director, NSA/Chief, CSS, is GEN Keith B. Alexander, United States Army. The Director is appointed by the Secretary of Defense and approved by the President of the United States. The Director, NSA/Chief, CSS, is always a commissioned military officer with at least a rank of three stars. He also serves as the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, in a dual assignment.


Frequently Asked Questions About NSA - NSA/CSS

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Obama found out on inauguration day that most of what he believed about "domestic spying" was outright lies. He learned many truths that day and immediately after.

 

[Mad Scientist]

please understand, i'm not trying to say that the N.S.A. might pull a Nixon and funnel private info to the G.O.P., but don't the facts at least warrant a justice department investigation?

The Justice Department won't even investigate a slam dunk case of voter intimidation by the New Black Panthers, why would they look into the NSA?

I know it's not the the NSA but you know what happened to the last President that looked into the activities of the C.I.A.?

He's resting at Arlington Cemetery now. You think that hasn't had a chilling effect on all President's since?

 

[zzzz]

Theoretically domestic spying is the purview of the FBI. However since 9/11 that distinction has become blurred somewhat. The problem with inteligence, other than whether it is right or not, is the dissemination of the facts. Any information has to go through so many levels of bureaucracy that the information becomes diluted or altered to a certain degree, a word here or there is added or deleted. Also at each level a mangager decides whether it is worth passing on to the next higher level and usually the information is rewritten in a brief causing it again to be altered. When the President recieves the information, it is in the form of a brief and he never knows what the original information looked like. This is why he is at the mercy of his advisors and lower minions of government.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Spying is cool as long as the party you support does it. I don't like it no matter who does it and I think Obama is doing what everyone else does as president, silently agree to ignore all criminal activities by the administration before it.

I wish Obama wouldn't ignore law breaking but so far he's maintaining the status quo

 

[Binky]

Theoretically domestic spying is the purview of the FBI. However since 9/11 that distinction has become blurred somewhat. The problem with inteligence, other than whether it is right or not, is the dissemination of the facts. Any information has to go through so many levels of bureaucracy that the information becomes diluted or altered to a certain degree, a word here or there is added or deleted. Also at each level a mangager decides whether it is worth passing on to the next higher level and usually the information is rewritten in a brief causing it again to be altered. When the President recieves the information, it is in the form of a brief and he never knows what the original information looked like. This is why he is at the mercy of his advisors and lower minions of government.

So very true. The more the info is handled, the less effective it is in the end. He is not only at the mercy of his advisors and lower minions, but of his own party as well, and of his backers that have donated millions upon millions to get him elected.

 

[pinqy]

we know that the agency is in charge of domestic surveillance programs,

No, we don't know that. Carter signed the Executive Order forbidding NSA from domestic surveillance. NSA does foreign surveillance, with any domestic monitoring done only in direct conjunction with foreign activities.

 

[editec]

Obama is not about to air the government dirty laundry willingly.

After all the same dirty business that kept Bush II going is keeping Obama going.