So, let's stop for a moment and review the most recent NSA-related leak. Not as any commentary on the NSA itself, but because holy fuck why do Presidents pull this shit. For those unaware,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2013-12-12_rg_final_report.pdfSo there have now been two reviews of the NSA program by independent government agencies staffed with experts, and specifically created to make recommendations about the NSA program. Each of them has found the program significantly lacking, if not outright illegal, and that in its current form it is dangerous to the proper functioning of our nation, in addition to being entirely ineffective at its stated goals.
The President has chosen to ignore each of these reports, in turn,
including the one he commissioned and with his most recent speech he has made it quite clear that he has no intention of doing a single meaningful thing to reign them in or hold them accountable - he has no plan to even require them to produce results. He has essentially given them blanket permission to violate whatever American laws they see fit. The FISA court recommended no more than that the NSA be required to follow the rules that it, itself, set up, to govern its own policies, and the President has denied even this!
The strangest part is, he doesn't seem to get any benefit from doing this. His behaviour makes no sense, from a policy perspective, unless we're all missing something. Why would you tirelessly support an unpopular program that gets you none of what you claim to want?
Which leaves two options, really. Either Obama wants something different than what he claims, or the NSA obtained some sort of leverage while listening to HIS calls. They've already admitted, publicly, that they spy on Congress, and there is evidence that they use the information they uncover. Even if they avoid spying on POTUS, they undoubtedly surveilled him while he was running. THIS seems to me to be the real danger of a thing like the NSA. It's not about
me, and whether or not
I have anything to hide - it's about what they can do with this kind of power over people who DO have something to hide. Which is essentially every politician ever.
So here are the recommendations the President has ignored so far:
President's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications:
Established by the President himself to investigate the NSA. Made a series of recommendations as to what would be required to insure NSA compliance with the law, and additional recommendations about what would changes would simply be a /good idea/ to implement if the President wanted them to do anything he said. All of these recommendations were ignored.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2013-12-12_rg_final_report.pdfPrivacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board:
Independent body established by Congress to investigate the NSA. Concluded the entire program should be shut down, as there is no way to bring it in line with the law in the current environment and it's behaviour is grossly illegal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/us/politics/watchdog-report-says-nsa-program-is-illegal-and-should-end.html?hp&_r=0And finally, the reccomendations of the FISA Court tasked with overseering the NSA, who have repeatedly stated that the NSA is failing to live up to it's legal duties and has outright lied to and deceived the judges tasked with keeping them in line. Their recommendation was simple - do something, anything, to force the NSA to follow even the rules it, itself, set up. The President has decided to ignore this as well.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/19/fisa-court-documents-nsa-violations-privacyCan anyone provide an
alternative explanation as to what the President might actually want that he would disregard the opinions of all of these bodies of experts? Or is it just hubris? It certainly doesn't make any bloody sense to me...