Take A Break From The Snowden Drama For A Reminder Of What He's Revealed So Far

[intaglio]

24. Going through your points one by one

But missing out the drama.

Congress has been approving the continued surveillance if US citizen's metadata, as has FISC. This is an ongoing program with which Congress and FISC see no problem. Fine, get Congress to legislate and if possible have the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the practice because currently the legal system sees nothing wrong with a practice that has been going on for years.

The NSA director admits that the Verizon order was made and that some US data is looked at using specific rules regarding these exceptions. Some data is held indefinitely:
1) when the data contains foreign intelligence information, you do realise that this means the NSA is involved in spying??!!11!!
2) information about a planned crime, so if a crime is being planned you expect the NSA to ignore that and not keep the information for possible prosecutions;
3) if it discloses US secrets, and that is not a crime?
4) if it shows communications vulnerabilities and if communications are vulnerable you do not want it sorted out ... right;
5) encrypted data can be held indefinitely ... No! tell me it ain't so because spies and terrorists NEVER use encryption.

There is a software tool that gathers the origins of the data that the NSA studies. Places like Jordan, Iran and Pakistan are hotspots - perhaps that's because persons of interest congregate in those places - and (Shock! Horror!!) the USA which is where the NSA wants to prevent crimes happening. I would also suggest that you look at commercially available software that does the same thing for private individuals and companies.

The President asked the US security services to look at cyber attack targets round the world. Were you also aware that the US also gathers information about possible targets for nuclear missiles, drone attacks, air strikes and invasion sites? How terrifying, how scary - Oh, it isn't it's normal preparedness, it's what Presidents and their military folk do and it's also called forward planning.

Tempora is ECHELON by another name because it includes different technology and ECHELON has been going on for at least 60 years. There are also similar stations and programs in Japan, Australia and, possibly, Spain. Yes, it is shocking when you first hear about it and in a perfect world it should not happen. Unfortunately the world is very far from perfect and at least this way the USA gets to see what its allies are spying on.

Monitoring the documents and telephone calls of G20 delegates, you are aware that such behavior always happens whatever the venue and that diplomatic and finance delegates are aware of that? Everybody does it may not be a good excuse but it remains true.

In respect of China see above with a side order of - you are aware that there is a significant Muslim population in China?

Glen Greenwood is a known exaggerator and is an outrage junkie. He may work for The Guardian but that does not make him a good and dispassionate journalist.

Basically, take your M$M inspired "Let's hate Obama" campaign let some reality into it.