Vladimir Putin defends the U.S. on spying programs, drones and Occupy Wall Street

[East Coast Pirate]

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the massive U.S. surveillance programs, revealed last week by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, “generally practicable” and “the way a civilized society should go about fighting terrorism.” His comments, made in a far-ranging interview to the state-backed news network RT, seemed to defend programs that have been deeply controversial in the United States and much of Europe,offering an endorsement that the Obama administration is probably not thrilled to receive.

He said of the New York city police response to Occupy Wall Street, in a comment that seemed consistent with much of his sympathy toward controversial U.S. programs, “That's the way it's done in the U.S., and that's the way it's done in Russia.” That’s not really true, of course - the United States doesn’t sentence people who sing anti-Obama songs to labor camps - but it is unlikely to convince many U.S. critics of NSA or drone programs.

“He told us nothing we didn't know before,” Putin said of Snowden, apparently declining the opportunity to criticize the United States, a surprising move given his government’s sometimes stringent attacks on U.S. policy, for example during the recent controversy over American adoptions of Russian children.

Putin explained that government “surveillance of individuals and organizations,” like that revealed by Snowden, “is becoming a global phenomenon in the context of combating international terrorism, and such methods are generally practicable.” He allowed that “security agencies” must be “controlled by the public” and that tapping phones should require court approval (the NSA is required to ask a court’s permission for each case, although that court has never actually said no). With such oversight, Putin said, “That's more or less the way a civilized society should go about fighting terrorism with modern-day technology. As long as it is exercised within the boundaries of the law that regulates intelligence activities, it's alright.”

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/06/13/vladimir-putin-defends-the-u-s-on-spying-programs-drones-and-occupy-wall-street/

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Exactly. Free Pussy Riot! n/t

[Enrique]

2. if Pootie-Poot is ok with it... n/t

[premium]

3. Oh, well, if Vladimir Putin approves of it,

I guess everything's ok.

[hobbit709]

4. What do you expect from Mr. KGB man?

[Bluenorthwest]

5. What name does he use when he posts on DU?

nt

[East Coast Pirate]

11. Котенок

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Should I remind readers we are talking of

Colonel Vladimir Puttin, KGB (ret)

Context matters here.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. The difference between our Security State and Russia's is....is.....

[arely staircase]

8. people who sing anti-obama songs don't get sent to labor camps

as the article points out.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Oh, well that's a relief. How about guys who have girlfriends in Hawaii?

[arely staircase]

12. you asked

sorry if you don't like the answer.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. No problem. "Not as Bad" answers are standard procedure here.

[arely staircase]

15. well you implied they were the same so

happy to help you out by pointing out the huge difference.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Kinda like the difference between a teaspoon of arsenic vs a tablespoon of arsenic.

[arely staircase]

17. no more like the difference between labor camps for political speech and none.

nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. I'm sure they'll give Snowden a luxury suite in Hawaii...if they catch him.

[arely staircase]

19. yeah, because he's wanted for criticising the government, not releasing classified info or anything

it is just like Putin's crack down on gays and punk rock girls

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. I'd say his criticisms of government spying are apparent.

He isn't exactly singing their praises. Of course, if were only singing his criticisms he wouldn't be pursued.

[arely staircase]

21. so it the criticism that has him in trouble, gotcha

I thought I read somewhere he released a bunch of classified info. my bad

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. You don't think his actions are critical of government spying?

Not to mention that the "classified documents" and revelations are Old News and of no consequence according to the Father Knows Best wing of DU.

[arely staircase]

23. his criticism isn't what has him in trouble

and how the US hacks Chinese computers is of consequence.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Stop hacking Chinese (or, American) computers. Problem solved.

But, enough of this fascinating badinage. I have to call my dentist so the NSA can keep tabs on us both.

[backscatter712]

10. PRISM is the KGB's wet dream. Putin would know. n/t

[kenny blankenship]

13. He's got Obama's back! After all NSA now spies more on its own citizens than on Russia

And that's a set of priorities and values any dictator would approve of.

[msongs]

24. yet again, adolf's "it's ok as long as it's legal" defense pops up on DU nt

[L0oniX]

26. Vladimir Putin approved NSA. Well that's the best stamp of approval one could hope for ...ain't it.

[ljm2002]

27. So that must mean...

...that anyone defending our government's position on this matter supports Putin and everything he does. And hates America.

Or something.