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NSA Surveillance - Not all that bad; Says Clinton Lawyer
Topic Started: Nov 29 2006, 06:05 AM (291 Views)
George K
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Finally
Oversight board told of privacy protections

By John Solomon, Associated Press | November 28, 2006

WASHINGTON -- After a delay of more than a year, a government board appointed to guard Americans' privacy and civil liberties during the war on terror has been told the inner workings of the government's electronic eavesdropping program.

Members say they were impressed by the protections.

The briefing for the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board had been delayed because President Bush was concerned -- after several media leaks -- about widening the circle of people who knew exact details of the secret eavesdropping program.

The board, created by Congress and appointed by Bush, focused on other classified work since it was named in spring 2005, but continued to press for a formal briefing by the National Security Agency.

A breakthrough was reached in recent days, and the five members were briefed by senior officials last week.

Board members said that they were impressed by the safeguards the government has built into the NSA's monitoring of phone calls and computer transmissions, and that they wished the administration could tell the public more about them to ease distrust.

"If the American public, especially civil libertarians like myself, could be more informed about how careful the government is to protect our privacy while still protecting us from attacks, we'd be more reassured," said Lanny Davis , a former Clinton White House lawyer who is the board's lone liberal Democrat.

Alan Raul, a former Reagan White House lawyer and the board's vice chairman, said he also was impressed.

"We found there was a great appreciation inside government, both at the political and career levels, for protections on privacy and civil liberties," said Raul, author of a book of civil liberties. "In fact, I think the public may have an underappreciation for the degree of seriousness the government is giving these protections."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-

Bears repeating:
"If the American public, especially civil libertarians like myself, could be more informed about how careful the government is to protect our privacy while still protecting us from attacks, we'd be more reassured,"

But of course, this story on "Domestic Spying® won't be on the 6:30 news tonite.
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Daniel\
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Fulla-Carp
So, they told secrets to members of a panel in secret appointed by the President. There's an oversight board with a lot of power.

Edit to add Lanny Davis liberal Democrat? What a croc of ----.

I thought there was an issue with Congress' law?? But if Lanny Davis say it's OK!!!

Edit.

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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
You miss the point, Daniel...the Dem just disposed of one of the main issues they campaigned on.. Bush's 'trampling on individujal rights'.

One fell swoop, and 'gee.. we agreed that was ok.'. Kind of like we'd been saying all along.
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Gee, if only he'd been willing to share the details a year ago, or even six months ago, or even three months ago ...

Maybe the Senate would still be Republican.

:devilgrin:

Does the phrase "hoist on your own petard" mean anything to you?
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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George K
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Finally
So, Quirt, I'll take that as an admission that the NSA program was legal, and it does have oversight, and that individual liberties were not infringed.

Does the term "You were right and I was wrong" have any meaning for you ? :devilgrin:
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
It probably took this long to negotiate the details of how they would be briefed. It's not like Bush suddenly caved in and gave them everything they initially wanted. It could have been in the interest of some on this panel to drag negotiations out past the election as well.
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There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
George K
Nov 29 2006, 10:14 AM
So, Quirt, I'll take that as an admission that the NSA program was legal, and it does have oversight, and that individual liberties were not infringed.

Does the term "You were right and I was wrong" have any meaning for you ? :devilgrin:

As soon as someone tells me (or my elected representatives) the details, and I (or they) have a chance to review it, I'll let you know.

But, since Bush appointed that panel, it's still the fox guarding the henhouse. Did you really expect Bush appointees to disagree with him? He's shown a lot of tolerance for that recently, hasn't he? So forgive me if I'm not jumping to the immediate conclusion that everything's good with the program.

Moreover, no one in that quote said it was legal. They just said that it had impressive protections. It could have impressive protections and still be illegal.

Try again, George.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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George K
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Finally
QuirtEvans
Nov 29 2006, 09:32 AM
As soon as someone tells me (or my elected representatives) the details, and I (or they) have a chance to review it, I'll let you know.

I'll put that word in for ya, Quirt, but you'll have to take a place in line behind Mullah Omar, and Al-Zawarhiri. :silly:
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Daniel\
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Fulla-Carp
Quote:
 
As soon as someone tells me (or my elected representatives) the details, and I (or they) have a chance to review it, I'll let you know.

But, since Bush appointed that panel, it's still the fox guarding the henhouse.  Did you really expect Bush appointees to disagree with him?  He's shown a lot of tolerance for that recently, hasn't he?  So forgive me if I'm not jumping to the immediate conclusion that everything's good with the program.

Moreover, no one in that quote said it was legal.  They just said that it had impressive protections.  It could have impressive protections and still be illegal.

Exactly.

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