"I welcome this debate and I think it's healthy for our democracy," he continued. "I think it's a sign of maturity, because probably five years ago, six years ago, we might not have been having this debate."
Obama portrayed the programs as a trade-off between security and civil liberties. "I think it's important to recognize that you can't have 100 percent security, and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience. We're going to have to make some choices as a society," he said.
He also expressed his displeasure that the domestic spying programs' existence was leaked to the press. "I don't welcome leaks," he said. "There's a reason these programs are classified."
The president's full-throated defense of the programs, albeit with the qualification that he welcomes debate, is unlikely to quell the outrage over the revelations. Obama ran as an antidote to Bush's policies in 2008, but the reports reveal that he has continued many of them, leading to concerns over the reach of the national security state.
Obama went on to defend those who operated the programs as "professionals." "In the abstract, you can complain about 'Big Brother' and how this is a potential program run amok. But when you actually look at the details, then I think we've struck the right balance," he said.
From:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/07/obama-nsa_n_3403389.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
