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NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

theguardian.com

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Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#71

This is the top comment on the Reddit thread: "They went after high ranking military officers . They went after members of congress . The Senate and the House - especially on the intelligence committees, and on the armed services committees and judicial. But they went after other ones too. They went after lawyers and law firms . Heaps of lawyers and law firms. They went after judges . One of the judges is now sitting…

Does this mean an unknown person or group that has control of the NSA intelligence is effectively running the United States?

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#72
post #54
post #3

Jay Carney issued a statement that said the US "is not monitoring and will not monitor" the German chancellor's communications. This is probably the best tell the US government has for sniffing out the bullshit. If they don't explicitly deny the event occurring in the past, it happened. Reminds me of a Spaceballs scene: Colonel Sandurz: Now. You're looking at now, sir. Everything that happens now, is happening now. D…

When I heard the "is not monitoring and will not monitor" I thougth "We didn't, and we will not do it again"

[deleted]

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#74
post #61

This is the top comment on the Reddit thread: "They went after high ranking military officers . They went after members of congress . The Senate and the House - especially on the intelligence committees, and on the armed services committees and judicial. But they went after other ones too. They went after lawyers and law firms . Heaps of lawyers and law firms. They went after judges . One of the judges is now sitting…

The big question is, who controls this security state? The information is being collected, but who's the audience? And what is their agenda?

The primary agenda of any bureaucracy is to perpetuate that bureaucracy. The targets mentioned fit very well with that goal.

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#76
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big question is, who controls this security state? The information is being collected, but who's the audience? And what is their agenda?

Information has become the most valueable thing. Whoever controls it, they surely do have much more power than any elected leader.

Being elected means being public. In the information security state, that's a huge weakness.

When pervasive monitoring is the normal, the powerful are those not being monitored.

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#77

This is the top comment on the Reddit thread: "They went after high ranking military officers . They went after members of congress . The Senate and the House - especially on the intelligence committees, and on the armed services committees and judicial. But they went after other ones too. They went after lawyers and law firms . Heaps of lawyers and law firms. They went after judges . One of the judges is now sitting…

Does this mean an unknown person or group that has control of the NSA intelligence is effectively running the United States?

No, it means that the NSA can, and has, collected data on just about anyone. What they do with it, my guess is not much unless there is an actual national security threat, is still up for question.

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#78
post #36

This is the top comment on the Reddit thread: "They went after high ranking military officers . They went after members of congress . The Senate and the House - especially on the intelligence committees, and on the armed services committees and judicial. But they went after other ones too. They went after lawyers and law firms . Heaps of lawyers and law firms. They went after judges . One of the judges is now sitting…

I remember this post being made here on HN around when the revelations first started coming out and we were still trying to collect ourselves and adjust to the new realities of omnipresent surveillance. It was on the front page and had a ton of upvotes. I really hope that Snowden has evidence of this. Whether he does or not is just about make-it-or-break-it for whether we'll see any real reform.

I can imagine a scenario in which even rock solid evidence of that sort wouldn't lead to real reform.

"Hello Senator thanks so much for meeting with us today. We understand you're considering co-sponsoring that new 'privacy' bill. We just wanted to take a few minutes of your time to emphasize some points that we feel have some bearing on the bill in question.

"I have here in front of me a few hard copies of some of your communications. I must say, they make for some interesting reading..."

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#79
No non-US government official can feel secure in giving just a business card to his US counterpart, because he has to assume his contact info will be given to the NSA.

Hell, no one, regardless of nationality, in or out of government, can fell secure in any communication of any kind with a US government person.

Re: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders

#80
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does this mean an unknown person or group that has control of the NSA intelligence is effectively running the United States?

No, it means that the NSA can, and has, collected data on just about anyone. What they do with it, my guess is not much unless there is an actual national security threat, is still up for question.

When in doubt, assume the worse so that you might only be pleasantly surprised. Assume there is a J. Edgar Hoover 2.0.
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