• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

"The information may be available as soon as Monday" [NSA scandal] suspicious?

Do you find the waiting time for proof suspicious?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 36.4%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 1 9.1%
  • No

    Votes: 6 54.5%
  • Other [do comment, please]

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    11

Travelsonic

DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 14, 2006
Messages
1,390
Reaction score
328
Gender
Undisclosed
Political Leaning
Centrist
While reading this CNN article regarding the NSA scandal, and the idea that this helped prevent many acts of terrorism, one quote piqued my interest:

NSA Director Keith Alexander is expected to release details of cases where the programs have stopped a terrorist attack, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein said. The information may be available as soon as Monday.
"He wants to be exact about the details," she said.

And, watching other news stations have heard similar things.

[I do wonder, do they mean next Monday, not today but a week from today?]

My question is, doesn't that make any of you suspicious?

I mean, sure editing may have to be done to remove information that, if revealed, may actually pose some sort of a threat perhaps, but if these acts by the NSA did help the way they are claiming they have, don't you think that it would already be on record in some form? IF so, wouldn't that mean it is a matter of compiling the information, editing it if needed, and whatnot? How does that, which I've heard "is coming" since last week if I remember correctly, take that long?

Now, I'm not saying anything funny is going on, just that it feels wrong, suspicious, and my bull**** meter is going off.
 
The waiting time doesn't pique me as much as the fact that they'll be releasing this information. Seems like something that shouldn't be released.
 
Because it has to go through a lot of eyes to make sure nothing accidentally gets revealed that shouldn't. For instance, the CIA may have a legit reason for some detail to not be included, the FBI another, the NSA another, the DoD another with nobody being able to judge individually for all agencies what should or should not be included or how things should be worded to avoid accidental implications.
 
The phrase Lying Sacks of **** comes to mind. If the information is that sensitive, that we can't even know about the specifics of the warrant even afterwards, they're not going to release it now. They just need time to make up something credible the media and the people might buy.

Time once again to develop alternate tech they can't touch. Maybe get Captain Crunch to come on back and teach them a lesson or two.
 
Any such release is going to have to be scrupulously vetted by several government agencies to make sure classified information that could aid our enemies is not revealed. If anything, I'm surprised they agreed to whip it up so soon.
 
The waiting time doesn't pique me as much as the fact that they'll be releasing this information. Seems like something that shouldn't be released.

Yeah, heaven forbid the people find out the government is engaging in unconstitutional activities.
 
Yeah, heaven forbid the people find out the government is engaging in unconstitutional activities.

Of course, we should releases everything even if it's classified. We have no enemies after all...:roll:
 
Of course, we should releases everything even if it's classified. We have no enemies after all...:roll:

Ok...

First off: Snowden did not leak it to the "enemy" unless of course you consider United States' citizens enemies of the government.

Second off: How does this compromise our national security??? Zombies of the mainstream media dumbfound me with this one. These aren't blueprints for a missile or battle strategies for a war. This is a patriot telling the country that they don't live in the free country they think do.
 
While reading this CNN article regarding the NSA scandal, and the idea that this helped prevent many acts of terrorism, one quote piqued my interest:

And, watching other news stations have heard similar things.

[I do wonder, do they mean next Monday, not today but a week from today?]

My question is, doesn't that make any of you suspicious?

I mean, sure editing may have to be done to remove information that, if revealed, may actually pose some sort of a threat perhaps, but if these acts by the NSA did help the way they are claiming they have, don't you think that it would already be on record in some form? IF so, wouldn't that mean it is a matter of compiling the information, editing it if needed, and whatnot? How does that, which I've heard "is coming" since last week if I remember correctly, take that long?

Now, I'm not saying anything funny is going on, just that it feels wrong, suspicious, and my bull**** meter is going off.

Yes it does make me suspicious, and should make anyone suspicious. Our government lies to us constantly and tries to hide infromation from us constantly. The very fact that we are discussing the NSA secretely collecting all that data should be enough evidence of that. You can't tell me that it takes a week to find the relevent data when they are specifically suppose to be looking for that data in the first place. The data being evidence of terrorist plots...at least that is what they told us was the reason behind all that data gathering. I mean seriously, all that it should take is to go to the specific department in the NSA that is conducting this "investigation" and pull the files out of a cabinet or pull it from the computer and put it on a disk. Something which should take all of 5 seconds to pull from a cabinet and at most a half hour to put on a disc if its a ton of files or just a few seconds if its just a few files. Surely they've got a section of "solved" cases right?
 
Ok...

First off: Snowden did not leak it to the "enemy" unless of course you consider United States' citizens enemies of the government.

Second off: How does this compromise our national security??? Zombies of the mainstream media dumbfound me with this one. These aren't blueprints for a missile or battle strategies for a war. This is a patriot telling the country that they don't live in the free country they think do.

It's not about what Snowden said or didn't say. It's about the Director of the NSA releasing details about how they used the information to stop terrorist attacks. "Here terrorists, here's where you messed up. For future reference so that you don't do that again."

I don't care about the evil "mainstream media." I do care about the Director of the NSA releasing details that terrorists could use to take notes for the future. I don't agree with what was done, I didn't agree when Bush did similar things, and I don't agree with Obama about doing them now.
 
It's not about what Snowden said or didn't say. It's about the Director of the NSA releasing details about how they used the information to stop terrorist attacks. "Here terrorists, here's where you messed up. For future reference so that you don't do that again."

I don't care about the evil "mainstream media." I do care about the Director of the NSA releasing details that terrorists could use to take notes for the future. I don't agree with what was done, I didn't agree when Bush did similar things, and I don't agree with Obama about doing them now.

You refused to answer one of my questions. HOW does this compromise our national security??
 
It's not about what Snowden said or didn't say. It's about the Director of the NSA releasing details about how they used the information to stop terrorist attacks. "Here terrorists, here's where you messed up. For future reference so that you don't do that again."

I don't care about the evil "mainstream media." I do care about the Director of the NSA releasing details that terrorists could use to take notes for the future. I don't agree with what was done, I didn't agree when Bush did similar things, and I don't agree with Obama about doing them now.

Valid concerns, but there is a poll out there showing that 26% of those on the left consider the Tea Party to be the main terrorist threat to the United States http://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub..._view_tea_party_as_nation_s_top_terror_threat.

We also have irrefutable evidence that, using information provided to them, which they unlawfully shared with others, the IRS specifically targeted Conservative groups in an effective effort to suppress any opposition to the present administration.

If the American government considers peaceful opposing American groups to be the enemy, then even traditionalist Americans would seem to be considered a big part of the terrorist threat by the White House. That sort of Administration behavior must be rooted out, exposed and stopped. It is not harmless behavior and reveals an intention to defeat the freedoms of the American way of life.
 
Last edited:
You refused to answer one of my questions. HOW does this compromise our national security??

If the terrorists take the information that's released and take notes on how they were caught, they can be sure to do things differently next time. Which could result in a successful terrorist attack.

I do this sort of thing for a living - I test software and tell the developers what isn't working so they can figure out how to make it work. You take the information released, then you know what didn't work and possibly figure out how to make it work.
 
Valid concerns, but there is a poll out there showing that 26% of those on the left consider the Tea Party to be the main terrorist threat to the United States 26% of Obama Supporters View Tea Party as Nation.

We also have irrefutable evidence that, using information provided to them, which they unlawfully shared with others, the IRS specifically targeted Conservative groups in an effective effort to suppress any opposition to the present administration.

If the American government considers peaceful opposing American groups to be the enemy, then even traditionalist Americans would seem to be considered a big part of the terrorist threat by the White House. That sort of Administration behavior must be rooted out, exposed and stopped. It is not harmless behavior and reveals an intention to defeat the freedoms of the American way of life.

Well nobody here was talking about the Tea Party....so I don't know where you're going with this.
 
If the terrorists take the information that's released and take notes on how they were caught, they can be sure to do things differently next time. Which could result in a successful terrorist attack.

I do this sort of thing for a living - I test software and tell the developers what isn't working so they can figure out how to make it work. You take the information released, then you know what didn't work and possibly figure out how to make it work.

The terrorists already know they're tapped! That's why the FBI and the CIA have to decrypt codes...they are well aware they are being tapped! This did not compromise our national security in anyway other then the fact that if the government continues to do unconstitutional things that they will be probably be overthrown.
 
Yes it does make me suspicious, and should make anyone suspicious. Our government lies to us constantly and tries to hide infromation from us constantly. The very fact that we are discussing the NSA secretely collecting all that data should be enough evidence of that. You can't tell me that it takes a week to find the relevent data when they are specifically suppose to be looking for that data in the first place. The data being evidence of terrorist plots...at least that is what they told us was the reason behind all that data gathering. I mean seriously, all that it should take is to go to the specific department in the NSA that is conducting this "investigation" and pull the files out of a cabinet or pull it from the computer and put it on a disk. Something which should take all of 5 seconds to pull from a cabinet and at most a half hour to put on a disc if its a ton of files or just a few seconds if its just a few files. Surely they've got a section of "solved" cases right?
And if the terrorists learn how we analyse data you do not believe they could use it to better hide their actions in the future?
 
While reading this CNN article regarding the NSA scandal, and the idea that this helped prevent many acts of terrorism, one quote piqued my interest:



And, watching other news stations have heard similar things.

[I do wonder, do they mean next Monday, not today but a week from today?]

My question is, doesn't that make any of you suspicious?

I mean, sure editing may have to be done to remove information that, if revealed, may actually pose some sort of a threat perhaps, but if these acts by the NSA did help the way they are claiming they have, don't you think that it would already be on record in some form? IF so, wouldn't that mean it is a matter of compiling the information, editing it if needed, and whatnot? How does that, which I've heard "is coming" since last week if I remember correctly, take that long?

Now, I'm not saying anything funny is going on, just that it feels wrong, suspicious, and my bull**** meter is going off.

Honestly, I think they're just lying. They're going to try to concoct some stories here to deflect. The question wasn't about the effectiveness of the program, it's about its constitutionality. I think they're going to spin as many stories as possible for a few reasons. A) To talk about the effects rather than the legality. B) Rile up emotions, don't let people respond rationally. The second part will also entail claims that national security has been violated and that terrorists are changing tactics because of the leak. Everything is aimed to get pressure and eyes off of government's role in the matter.

I don't think there's any functional change in my probabilities of death since the leak, but they can't allow people to think about their involvement so they'll lie and mislead us to protect themselves and their corporate buddies. Which in the end is what this comes down to.
 
And if the terrorists learn how we analyse data you do not believe they could use it to better hide their actions in the future?

If they were detailing plans over unsecured lines of communication like cell phones, I'm not worried. They're stupid and we'll be able to find them.
 
And if the terrorists learn how we analyse data you do not believe they could use it to better hide their actions in the future?

The cat is already out of the bag. What is being asked for: proof that terrorist plots were thwarted using this gathering technique has nothing to do with how the intelligence was gathered or analysed.
 
If they were detailing plans over unsecured lines of communication like cell phones, I'm not worried. They're stupid and we'll be able to find them.
If it was something obvious like that I doubt the NSA would have any issues at all "revealing" that information.
 
The cat is already out of the bag. What is being asked for: proof that terrorist plots were thwarted using this gathering technique has nothing to do with how the intelligence was gathered or analysed.
And what form would expect that "proof" to take?
 
If it was something obvious like that I doubt the NSA would have any issues at all "revealing" that information.

The NSA would have every problem with it because what they are doing is illegal and not for catching terrorists, but rather monitoring The People. And because if this they don't want any information getting out. Now that it has been confirmed, they have to start manufacturing reasons to hide, deflect, and lie about what they've been doing.
 
The cat is already out of the bag. What is being asked for: proof that terrorist plots were thwarted using this gathering technique has nothing to do with how the intelligence was gathered or analysed.

It doesn't have anything to do with how it was gathered, and I don't agree with the methods used. But whatever the method, you don't show the other guy your hand by revealing the intelligence.
 
The NSA would have every problem with it because what they are doing is illegal and not for catching terrorists, but rather monitoring The People. And because if this they don't want any information getting out. Now that it has been confirmed, they have to start manufacturing reasons to hide, deflect, and lie about what they've been doing.
They wouldn't have any problems at all. What do you think they would reveal by doing so? That they're monitoring cell phone calls? We already know that. With the right equipment I can monitor cell phone calls. :shrug:

Thanks for your opinion. You, of course, won't mind if I disagree ...
 
They wouldn't have any problems at all. What do you think they would reveal by doing so? That they're monitoring cell phone calls? We already know that. With the right equipment I can monitor cell phone calls. :shrug:

Thanks for your opinion. You, of course, won't mind if I disagree ...

We defacto knew it. But that's a long way off from confirmation. Now that it's confirmed that they're doing it, it's a new ballgame. So the NSA is trying desperately to try to present their actions as legal and doing doing their best to make it seem as if it wasn't aimed against the people.

Now that this is confirmed, the next logical question is "well what other stuff are they doing that we have no idea about?"

You of course are free to disagree, but you shouldn't expect everyone else to just accept the BS lines the government is feeding us.
 
Back
Top Bottom