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President Obama doesn’t merely claim ignorance of the IRS’ targeting of politically conservative groups or the Department of Justice’s targeting of journalists: according to The New York Times, Obama was also ignorant of the extent of NSA surveillance. According to the Times, “aides said Mr. Obama was surprised to learn after leaks by Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, just how far the surveillance had gone.” David Plouffe, Obama’s advisor, said, “Things seem to have grown at the NSA. I think it was disturbing to most people, and I think he found it disturbing.”
Yet it is hard to express indignation at actions of the government after five years of running it, and some involved in surveillance note that it was Mr. Obama who pushed national security agencies to be aggressive in hunting terrorists. “For some, his outrage does ring a little bit hollow,” said a former counterterrorism official.
All of which leads to worries by critics of government surveillance that he will not go far enough on Friday. “If the speech is anything like what is being reported, the president will go down in history for having retained and defended George W. Bush’s surveillance programs rather than reformed them,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Skyfloating
Obama is ignorant of a great many of things, so I tend to believe him on this.edit on 2014 by Skyfloating because: (no reason given)
anon72
WHEN HE IS MADE AWARE OF THE MESS UPS OF HIS PEOPLE> HE DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT>
Wrabbit2000
If he was truly ignorant then he should be furious. After all, IF done without his approval as Commander and Chief as well as direct head of U.S. Foreign Policy? They undermined him directly on both and made his ability to function for world wide events severely limited.
He should be furious. Public or not...investigations should be rolling like Casey Jones running his train. Heads should be rolling for undermining the policy of the nation and the ability of the President.
....If he had truly been ignorant....
I'm not seeing rage..I'm seeing awkward moments like catching my kid with ice cream around his mouth, claiming he has no idea what happened to the ice cream in the freezer. (rolls eyes)
anon72
WHEN HE IS MADE AWARE OF THE MESS UPS OF HIS PEOPLE> HE DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT>
That is even worse that being a clueless idiot. Now you are a Lame A@@ and a Dumb A@@.
A review board established by the White House to investigate the National Security Agency’s controversial surveillance operations believes that the NSA should make drastic changes to its bulk phone data collection program.
...
Pres. Obama announced the creation of the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technology on August 9, two months to the day after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed himself to be the source of a leaked document that proved the US government has been compelling telecommunication companies for the phone records of millions of Americans on a daily basis.
The Review Group suggests in their report that the NSA stop pressuring tech companies to put government-friendly “backdoors” into their programs and halt their habit of stockpiling so-called zero-day exploits — or otherwise-unknown software and hardware vulnerabilities than when relied upon may allow for unfettered access to a target’s system
Kali74
reply to post by Indigo5
Sorry to say... what he has proposed is not enough. To go beyond saving face (which his proposals don't do) and actually be OUR President, he should be having a very public ragefest directed at the NSA as well as a pardon for Snowden in hand... if he didn't know then he should thank the man that made it possible for him to know.