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posted by
NCommander
on Tuesday April 01 2014, @06:00PM
from the wonder-how-long-until-the-staff-gets-wiretapped dept.
from the wonder-how-long-until-the-staff-gets-wiretapped dept.
Cory Doctorow at bOing bOing reports Newly disclosed documents from the trove Edward Snowden provided to journalists reveal the existence of the Nymrod database that listed 122 world leaders, many from nations friendly to the USA, that were spied upon by the NSA. Included in the list is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was already known to have been wiretapped by the NSA thanks to an earlier disclosure. Nymrod's "Target Knowledge Database" combed through the NSA's pool of global intercepts to amass dossiers of private communications emails, faxes, calls and Internet traffic related to the leaders.
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(Score: 2) by sl4shd0rk on Tuesday April 01 2014, @07:34PM
I'm wondering if it will ever come to light that the NSA kept "dirt" on elected officials, Supreme Court justices or others who could potentially bring charges against the organization. Imagine having that kind of leverage.
(Score: 1) by spxero on Tuesday April 01 2014, @07:47PM
If only someone would martyr themselves and expose it, but the ones that would/could probably figure nothing would come of it anyway. Sad thing is they're probably right.
(Score: 1) by urza9814 on Tuesday April 01 2014, @08:02PM
Imagine if someone leaked not only that the NSA had that "dirt", but *exactly what it was*.
The dirt is gone because the secrets are out. And the officials the dirt was on would be PISSED.
THAT is how we dismantle the NSA!
(Score: 2) by bucc5062 on Tuesday April 01 2014, @08:05PM
Given that 122 World Leaders had their panties raided, you really think the NSA would not have done a beta test on a more local and reasonably accessible raw material.
The fallout is two fold, if the NSA is caught with actual proof they tapped our own leaders then it is an egregious act against the Constitution, laws were broken, and head should roll. However, heads wont roll, because people who'd be in the best position to act may really really really not want information to see the light of day. Thus a situation where the head of a spy agency in the USofA can lie under oath and feel any repercussions.
That could never happen in this country. /s
We did have one Senator stand up and say the CIA acted very poorly and shame on them...how'd that go?
The more things change, the more they look the same
(Score: 1) by GmanTerry on Wednesday April 02 2014, @12:01AM
This is my concern also, but on a larger scale. Even if we dismiss blackmail by the NSA as was practiced by J. Egar Hoover, when he headed the FBI. There is the total subversion of the democratic process becoming possible. The NSA has the information to control elections as well as people. Information is power and the NSA has information on everyone. This includes judges, journalists, Congressmen and Senators. Does anyone really trust politicians and bureaucrats to not use this information and power for corrupt purposes? I don't believe this country can survive for another decade with secret courts feeding a secret government watching and recording the activities of 100% of the citizens.
Since when is "public safety" the root password to the Constitution?
(Score: 1) by bill_mcgonigle on Wednesday April 02 2014, @03:09AM
Yep. Hold onto your hats when the reporters with the Snowden briefings start dropping relevant stuff in September and October.