"...And my guess is that Mr. Snowden is still alive because he is an active asset, on a very successful mission type 'show of force'...."


PRISM and NSA activity was legal. The system was designed technically and legally by hundreds if not thousands and with knowledge of the politicians, Govt., Congress and others. The legal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 was amended in 2008. The FISA and the amendment are not secret to public. The amendment is controversial because makes the surveillance prone to abuse. Can be criticized. It is criticized. It is now criticized by the whole world. Somehow main papers got easy access to details of how NSA (and e.g. UK’s GCHQ who allegedly used PRISM’s data) works. No one kills the journalists. No one wants to kill Snowden (suggesting that is really a paranoia). Democracy somehow works better or worse. Compare to China or Russia. God knows what kind of Prisms are there and how they use them. Snowden spilled the news in a theatrical way; some say he could take action through legal channels or senators in US. Apparently, except sensation greedy newspapers, there is not big interest in this news. Even, the main US competitors like China and Russia did not use the chance.

The NSA justifies their hoovering by taking the position that they only access the data selectively, but in order to do so they need to keep the reservoir intact and not let it evaporate. They have also convinced themselves that they have adequate oversight. The problem with American culture in general is that they believe civil rights only need to be afforded to US Citizens and even then you can loose these rights for un-American activities.

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PARENTAL ADVISORY:
I say ***** a lot

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PARENTAL ADVISORY:
I say ***** a lot

That's a very depressing world view, especially for a young parent.
Let's hope you're wrong, for the next generation's sake who might work on preventing this possible future.

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_________________
PARENTAL ADVISORY:
I say ***** a lot

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PARENTAL ADVISORY:
I say ***** a lot

Alan is one of the more credulous people you'll encounter.

_________________
PARENTAL ADVISORY:
I say ***** a lot

Could not find this news on BBC.

Looks like there is a tough competition in this business...

Merkels ungesichertes Handy stand nach Überzeugung der Experten nicht nur unter Kontrolle des US-Abhördienstes NSA. Auch Russen, Chinesen, Nordkoreaner und Briten sollen Gespräche der Kanzlerin belauscht haben. Das weitläufige Regierungsviertel in Berlin eigne sich hervorragend für die Funkspionage, so ein hochrangiger Sicherheitsbeamter zu FOCUS.

Crude translation by Google:

Merkel's unsecured phone was convinced that the experts not only under control of the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdropping. Also, Russians, Chinese, North Koreans and Britons are said to have overheard conversations of the Chancellor. The extensive government district in Berlin own excellent for radio espionage, according to a senior security official told Focus.