James Clapper: We Totes Shoulda Told You About Section 215
from the does-not-compute dept
Ever since Edward Snowden leaked information about the massive government surveillance being done both domestically and abroad by the NSA, the refrain that such leaks have put people in danger and harmed national security have been ongoing. Supporters of the NSA have specifically noted that leaks about section 215, the PATRIOT Act section that the NSA believes gives it the power to collect all telco traffic records, will prove to be absolutely catastrophic to our safety. Spy bigwig James Clapper himself wrote to Ron Wyden that section 215 leaks "will do significant damage to the intelligence community's ability to protect the nation."
Now, in a move that will surprise nobody, since Clapper is a proven liar, he has reversed course and says that the government should have told the American people about section 215.
“What did us in here, what worked against us was this shocking revelation,” he said, referring to the first disclosures from Snowden. If the program had been publicly introduced in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, most Americans would probably have supported it. “I don’t think it would be of any greater concern to most Americans than fingerprints. Well people kind of accept that because they know about it. But had we been transparent about it and say here’s one more thing we have to do as citizens for the common good, just like we have to go to airports two hours early and take our shoes off, all the other things we do for the common good, this is one more thing.”Unbelievable. So the very same disclosure that turned Edward Snowden into a traitor and was going to do so much harm to American security is something Clapper says he should have done in the first place? With such an admission, where is the backlash against the continued prosecution of Snowden in the court of public opinion? Where is the embarrassed apology for lying to Americans about the dangers of the disclosures made previously? Lies, I might add, designed to scare the living hell out of people and chill speech, disclosures, and journalism.
I typically try to find some humor in every situation, but this kind of flip-flopping is bullshit on a level hitherto unseen. The credibility gap between Clapper and his ilk versus Edward Snowden might as well be the Grand Canyon. I'm a bit amazed the man has been allowed to keep his job, never mind his still being allowed to make media statements.
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Filed Under: edward snowden, james clapper, nsa, privacy, section 215
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Re: James Clapper walks with impunity, Snowden forced into exile
The government tried to show that the defendants had stolen government property—they were guilty of a theft that became an espionage charge because what they stole was classified “top secret” and affected national security. The defense response was that what was in the Pentagon Papers should never have been stamped secret to begin with. NSA should have told the AMericn people about the PRISM program after 9/11. Come clean with the people and Snoden wouldn't have have to disclose anything!
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He really doesn't understand at all
If he had the slightest idea, he wouldn't have brought up airport security as a comparison point. First, the ONLY reason that people -- just barely -- tolerate that nonsense is because if the conceit that if you're really worried about it, you can choose not to get on a plane.
I suppose that technically you can choose to no longer communicate and avoid NSA collections, but I doubt if very many people would consider communicating an optional activity.
This is just another variation of the "you don't care if Google/Facebook/whoever does it, why should you care if we do?" Lots of people care a lot and don't use those services as a result. The argument is complete bullshit. It falls completely flat until we can opt out of NSA surveillance.
That Clapper and supporters don't get this simple baffles me. But I think they fully understand and are just doing what they do best: lying their asses off.
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Re: He really doesn't understand at all
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Re: Re: He really doesn't understand at all
I shudder to think how TSA will likely respond to the first tampon bomber.
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Re: Re: Re: He really doesn't understand at all
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The common good....?
To hell with your 'common good'.
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You want to hear another whopper of a statement...
He actually blamed the FISC for 9/11. I've never seen anyone do that before.
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/14/debate_was_snowden_justified_former_nsa
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Re: You want to hear another whopper of a statement...
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Re: You want to hear another whopper of a statement...
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Re: Re: You want to hear another whopper of a statement...
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I HATE liars.
Especially the ones that get caught, and still have a job.
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Fingerprints not a good example
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Re: Fingerprints not a good example
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Re: Fingerprints not a good example
"It's just like colonic maps, what's the big deal?!"
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Re: Fingerprints not a good example
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But not after all of this.
Not even close.
It is pathetic that these people continue to openly lie and not have any regard for the actual people they are supposed to be serving.
All I know is that at this point Obama is either incompetent or doesn't actually care about the rights of the people who elected him. Either way he is NOT the man he was promised to be when he was up for his first election.
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Unfortunately the OP reads more like a rant on what he didn't say and how stupid his previous FUD is, more than what he actually said here.
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Re:
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The ACLU sent a FOIA request for the interpretation of just how the administration read Section 215 to mean on May 31, 2011. From this a shit storm erupted. Nor was this the first time. This came up in 2002.
The EFF won its' case in Sept 2013 to have it revealed.
All government agencies and their lawyers attempted to stonewall, claim national security, and come up with anything to throw in the path to prevent this revelation.
This was not a mistake, not a could have or would have, or should have. It was a planned and co-ordinated response to prevent release and inspection of what they knew to be outside the legality of the system and as long as they could prevent court challenge they could continue without any check whatever. This is precisely what Senator Udall was speaking about when he said, "they will be stunned and they will be angry."
To have liar Clapper now come out to say they should have told the American people rings as hollow and just another lie trying to find some way out of the unfavorable limelight.
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What is he thinking?
I don't think so. We were furious when the NY Times finally decided to allow us to know about the wiretapping that Bush did with Verizon (after about 18 months of stalling). We don't like liars, and don't like being lied to.
From a Salon article about this very event and it's aftermath:
Link: http://www.salon.com/2010/04/01/nsa_4/
"In December, 2005, The New York Times revealed that the Bush administration had been doing for years exactly that which the law unambiguously said was a felony: eavesdropping on the electronic communications of Americans (telephone calls and emails) without warrants. We knew then it was a crime. Three federal judges have now concluded that it was illegal. And yet not only do we do nothing about it, but we stand by as the Obama administration calls this criminal program a vital state secret and desperately tries to protect it and the lawbreakers from being subject to the rule of law. This decision may make it more difficult for the Obama administration to hide behind sweeping secrecy claims in the future, but it wont negate the fact that we have decided that our leading political officials are completely free to commit crimes while in power and to do so with total impunity."
You, Mr. Clapper are a liar and obviously delusional. We don't like being spied on, or listened to-even when catastrophic events like 9/11 happen.
You seem to forget that there were a hell of a lot of Americans who did not want the Patriot Act done, either.
I think it's time you retired from office, either voluntarily or otherwise. You're no longer useful or wanted-except to be tried for federal eavesdropping laws that have been broken.
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More Clapper Scumbaggery
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Re: More Clapper Scumbaggery
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American people at large have placed great trust in us, and we strive at all times to be
deserving of that trust
NSA/CSS Core Values
Clapper cannot In any way acknowledge his faults or accept any wrong doing at all , and he's a Compulsive liar , Where's the honor and dignity that's supposed to come with the oath and core values
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Re:
Unless you are part of the current administration. Then your fellow cronie and perjurer Attorney General Eric Holder will not initiate proceedings against you.
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And In Related News ...
Possibly taken over by an alien ???
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Re: And In Related News ...
We haven't been reading the same stories.
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Those who make legal discovery impossible will make illegal disclosure inevitable.
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Of course he has been allowed to keep his job. You can blame Edward Snowden for it. Or rather, the government will blame Edward Snowden for it.
You cannot fire a lying traitor, perjurer, psychopath and weasel screwing over the U.S. for personal gain and power because doing so would suggest that Edward Snowden is winning.
And with him, the American people.
We cannot have that. Where is the point in funneling the taxpayers' money off into a large industry screwing and controlling and blackmailing people when somebody with a conscience is allowed to endanger the job of a godfather in the clan governing us for our own good?
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