Lawmakers in Washington, DC were briefed on the program late Tuesday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and legal and intelligence officials, according to the Associated Press, in what marked the first time that Congress came face-to-face with the players closest to the National Security Administration scandal since The Guardian began publishing leaked NSA documents last Thursday. “People aren’t satisfied,” Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pennsylvania) told the AP after Tuesday night’s briefing “More detail needs to come out.” Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Maryland), a defender of the surveillance program, even told AP that Congress should take the time to reassess the NSA’s policies. “Congress needs to debate this issue and determine what tools we give to our intelligence community to protect us from a terrorist attack,” he said. “Really it’s a debate between public safety, how far we go with public safety and protecting us from terrorist attacks versus how far we go on the other side.” NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander will answer questions from the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee on Wednesday afternoon, and the Senate and House intelligence committees will be briefed on the programs again Thursday. So far, though, shot-callers in Washington seem largely split on perhaps the first example to surface so far of the Obama administration’s attempt to weigh security with privacy in its war against terror. “As you heard the president say on Friday, he believes that we must strike a balance between our security interests and our desire for privacy,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said earlier this week when defending the program. “He made clear that you cannot have 100 percent security and 100 percent privacy, and thus we need to find that balance.” The leaked documents, released by the Guardian last week and attributed to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, showed that the NSA has requested the phone records for the millions of Verizon customers in the US regularly and also taps into the servers of nine major Internet entities in order to intercept communications when investigating alleged terrorism. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration on Tuesday over the mass call tracking program, labeling the “unprecedented mass surveillance” of phone calls as a violation of “Americans’ constitutional rights of free speech, association and privacy.” The ACLU is asking the government to cease the mass call tracking program and purge its records immediately. Meanwhile, though, members of Congress like Murphy and Ruppersberger are simply asking for answers. But other lawmakers have attempted to discuss the topic before, which in it of itself is becoming a whole other issue erupting on the Hill. On March 12, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing that the NSA does not gather “any type of data at all on millions of Americans.” That was question posed by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), at least, who in response was told by Clapper, “No, sir.” “Not wittingly,” Clapper continued. “There are cases where they could inadvertently perhaps collect, but not wittingly.” Following leaked evidence showing otherwise, Sen. Wyden issued a statement explaining his line of questioning: “So that he would be prepared to answer, I sent the question to Director Clapper’s office a day in advance. After the hearing was over my staff and I gave his office a chance to amend his answer,” Wyden wrote. “Now public hearings are needed to address the recent disclosures and the American people have the right to expect straight answers from the intelligence leadership to the questions asked by their representatives.” Sen. Wyden has long been critical of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, a law that allows the government to collect data on the communications of Americans if they are reasonably thought to be communication with persons located outside of the US. “When the public finds out that these secret interpretations are so dramatically different than what the public law says, I think there’s going to be extraordinary anger in the country,” Wyden told HuffPost Live earlier this year. “Because it’s one thing to have debates about laws… but we assume that the law itself is public.” On Sunday, Clapper told NBC News that he responded to Wyden’s question while on the stand with “what I thought was the most truthful, or least untruthful, manner.” There have since been calls for Clapper’s resignation or termination from the role of DNI. … Read More
Inconsistencies and Weak Accusations Highlighted in Week 2 of Bradley Manning Trial
With the newest media storm over Edward Snowden, it is becoming clear that whistleblowers will increasingly be taking center stage as the war continues between the forces of tyranny and forces of truth. … Read More
NSA to continue global surveillance program
In the wake of the revelations made by the Guardian and Washington Post last week, President Barack Obama has defended the controversial NSA spy programs that continue to generate headlines across the globe. Now the Associated Press reports that the administration shows no sign of slowing down its domestic operations, even as the scope of the surveillance — conducted in secrecy until leaked to the media — becomes more widely known. Quoting a senior intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity, AP reported Tuesday that there are no plans to scrap the surveillance programs. Despite outrage from US citizens and persons abroad mortified by the revelations, the NSA operations are likely to “continue to receive widespread if cautious support within Congress,” the official told the AP. Indeed, the White House’s own argument in support of the programs is gaining backing from some of Washington’s biggest players. In defense of the leaked operations, proponents of NSA’s tactics call the collection of personal data a necessary implement in the war against terror. On Monday, White House press secretary Jay Carney further defended the NSA programs and condemned details about it being leaked to the media. “Leaks about sensitive information that cause harm to our national security interests are a problem,” Carney said Monday afternoon. Other members of the administration have called for the prosecution of 29-year-old Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who attributes himself with sharing the NSA data with the Guardian and the Post. Snowden is reportedly in Hong Kong and could seek asylum in lieu of the likely efforts to extradite him to the US. But even though Snowden is being hailed as a hero and a whistleblower by some for sharing details about domestic spying, a number of politicians have labeled him a traitor and continue to tout the NSA’s operations. Disclosing the programs, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday to ABC News, “puts Americans at risk,” “shows our adversaries what our capabilities are” and is “a giant violation of the law.” Boehner called Snowden a “traitor,” a sentiment shared by lawmakers on both side of the aisle. “I don’t look at this as being a whistleblower,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calf.), the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Monday. “I think it’s an act of treason.” “Just on the issue of, ‘Is this a whistleblower, or is this an act of treason,’ I think it directly is,” added Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida.). “And I think that most of the people who serve on [the intelligence committee] will tell you that.” Even if the NSA programs will continue for the time being, some members of Congress are asking for the details to be disclosed to a degree that will shine some light on an operation otherwise cloaked in secrecy. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) is expected to propose a bill on Tuesday that will compel the federal government to disclose the opinions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court that approves legal orders to track communications coming into or exiting the US. Last week, Snowden leaked documents exposing the widespread surveillance of US communications under FISA, as well as a separate NSA program named PRISM that allows the government to access private conversations conducted over Facebook, Google, Skype and other services. “I don’t want to live in a society that does these sort of things,” Snowden told the Guardian over the weekend. “I do not want to live in a world where everything I do and say is recorded. That is not something I am willing to support or live under.” Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Dean Heller (R-Nevada), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Al Franken (D-Minnesota), Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) all plan to supports Sen. Merkley’s proposal. That isn’t to say they disapprove of the program, though. “I think there should be enough transparency that the American people understand what is happening…But I can assure you that this isn’t about spying on the American people,” Sen. Franken told the Star Tribune this week. “There are certain things that are appropriate for me to know that’s not appropriate for the bad guys to know,” he said. “Anything that, quote, the American people know, the bad guys know so there’s a line here, right? And there’s a balance that has to be struck between the responsibility of the federal government to protect the American people and then people’s right to privacy. We have safeguards in place …The American people can’t know everything because everything they know then, the bad guys will know.” … Read More
Obama appoints UN envoy Rice to national security position amid Benghazi controversy
The American ambassador to the United Nations who came under attack for misrepresenting last year’s terrorist attack in Benghazi has been appointed to be the White House’s new national security advisor. … Read More
Obama appoints UN envoy Rice to national security position amid controversy
President Barack Obama confirmed Wednesday that Susan Rice will walk away from her position as the United States envoy to the UN in order to take on a new role within his administration. The president made the remarks Wednesday afternoon from the Rose Garden outside of the White House just hours after Tom Donilon, Obama’s security advisor since October 2010, tendered his resignation. Rice was nominated by Obama to be the American ambassador to the UN only weeks after he was elected to office in late 2008 and previously served as assistant secretary of state for African Affairs under President Bill Clinton. Obama called the role of national security advisor “a herculean task” and “one of the most critical” in the government during Wednesday’s remarks, adding that Rice would be best fit for the role because she “exemplifies the finest tradition of American diplomacy and leadership.” The appointment is expected to generate more than just a little controversy, however, particularly in light of the comments Rice made last year about the Benghazi incident that made her a lightning rod for Republican criticism. In the wake of the September 11, 2012 assault on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Rice went on several American talk shows and described the event as a spontaneous response sparked by an anti-Islamic video produced in California. Rice blamed the storming of the building on a violent demonstration that erupted outside of the consulate after a similar one broke out in Egypt, but intelligence that later went public proved her assessment to be wrong. Four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were killed in the assault. More than one month after Rice first remarked publicly about the Benghazi tragedy, she blamed talking points handed to her from American intelligence officials for gaffe. She later admitted that a spontaneous protest never occurred in Benghazi, and today US officials attribute the attack to terrorists aligned with al-Qaeda. Even as criticism grew, however, Rice was rumored in late 2012 to replace outgoing secretary of state Hillary Clinton, only for reports to trigger a major backlash from Republicans livid about the Benghazi remarks. Nearly 100 lawmakers from the GOP opposed the possibility of Rice replacing Sec. Clinton, sparking the UN rep to withdraw her name from the pool of potential candidates in December. Obama would later name Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) as his new secretary of state. During Wednesday’s press conference from the Rose Garden, Obama said he was personally grateful for Donilon’s role as security advisor, and said, “I’m proud that this work will be carried on by another exemplary public servant.” “Susan understands that there is no substitute for American leadership,” Obama said, calling her “passionate,” “pragmatic” and “a fierce champion for justice and human dignity” who “puts her country first.” As the UN ambassador, Obama said Rice “reinvigorated American diplomatic efforts” and helped put tough sanctions in place against Iran and North Korea. Rice said she was “deeply honored and humbled” to be appointed by the president, but said “we have vital opportunities to seizes and ongoing challenges to confront.” “We have much more to accomplish on behalf of the American people, and I look forward to continuing to serve on your national security team to keep our nation strong and safe,” she said. Perhaps first on the agenda for Rice, though, will be battling the criticism that is already been delivered courtesy of her GOP foes. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) accused Rice of “misleading” the public regarding the Benghazi attack and questioned why the White House appointed her to such an important role in the wake of the actions that are still used by members of the Republican Party to target the Obama administration. “How are they going to have the authority for people to believe what they’re saying, when he’s promoting someone who directly and deliberately misled the public over Benghazi?” Paul asked Fox. “I can’t imagine that we would be keeping Ambassador Rice in any significant position, much less promoting her to an important position,” he said “Obviously I disagree [with Obama’s] appointment of Susan Rice as Nat’l Security Adviser, but I’ll make every effort to work [with] her on [important] issues,” Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) wrote on Twitter. Last month, Vice President Joe Biden praised Rice, adding that even after Benghazi she had “the absolute, total, complete confidence of the president.” Samantha Power, a former special assistant to the president and senior director for multilateral affairs and human rights at the National Security Council, has been asked to fill Rice’s shoes at the UN headquarters in New York. … Read More
American soldier pleads guilty to murdering 16 Afghans
Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, 39, entered the plea inside of a military courtroom at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state early Wednesday, the Associated Press reported from the site. According to the AP, a military judge will hear Bales’ firsthand account of what happened during the March 2012 outburst before deciding if the plea will be accepted by the court. One of the attorney representing Bales, John Henry Browne, told the AP that he expects his client will admit to “very specific facts.” Bales was brought into custody last year after opening fire on civilians residing within two tiny villages in southern Afghanistan. He slipped away from his post at Camp Belambay in Kandahar on the early morning of March 11 equipped with a 9 mm pistol and an M-4 rifle outfitted with a grenade launcher, then went on a rampage in the village of Alkozai. He returned after to his camp covered in blood, told at another soldier about the attack and then left to kill again, that time attacking civilians in the village of Najiban. Bales, an Ohio native and father of two, was charged with 16 counts of premeditated murder — one for each life he took. In an email to USA TODAY this week, defense attorney Emma Scanlan wrote that Bales “is ready to accept responsibility for what he has done.” Browne previously told reports that Bales would offer the plea in hopes of avoiding the death penalty. He apparently prepared a 50-page deal that a military judge will have to review before that determination is made. The AP wrote Wednesday afternoon that Bales pleaded guilty to all 16 counts, but came short of doing such for another charge lobbed against him: impeding an investigation. If the judge accepts his plea, a jury will likely decide later this summer the fate for the soldier — life, or life without the possibility of parole. According to an AP reporter at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Col. Jeffrey Nance went over a stipulation of facts signed by Bales, then asked the soldier to confirm whether he understood the four elements that apply to each of the 16 charges. A press release issued by the Army stated that certain conditions would have to apply for Bales to be subjected to the death penalty, an option unlikely even if his plea is rejected and he’s convicted of stricter crimes. “For capital punishment to be imposed, the court-martial members must unanimously find: the service member is guilty of the eligible crime; at least one aggravating factor exists; and that the aggravating factor must substantially outweigh any extenuating or mitigating circumstances found by the court-martial members,” the statement read. “Obviously, avoiding the death penalty is our number one goal. We’ve accomplished that, assuming the judge accepts the plea, and we believe he will,” Browne told the AP earlier this week. No members of the US military have been executed as a result of a conviction since 1961, although five currently face that possibility. Bales was serving his fourth combat deployment with the atrocities occurred last year, and his lawyer told the court previously that he had been drinking alcohol and snorting Valium on the night of the killings. Bales is reported to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and was facing foreclosure on his home shortly before the time of the incident. Browne described the soldier as “crazed” and “broken” last week, but stopped short of labeling him legally insane. … Read More
Stockholm bather hit by speeding water scooter
A woman who was swimming in Lake Mälaren near Stockholm on Sunday afternoon was struck and seriously injured by a passing water scooter that then disappeared from the scene. … Read More
