Obama has room to maneuver on NSA reforms
By Matthew Hoye
President Barack Obama has some room to maneuver in crafting reforms to the National Security Agency’s massive data collection program.
A national security expert tells CNN that the President, in fact, has “a lot of leeway in terms of what to recommend and not recommend.”
Obama is expected to announce changes to the surveillance initiative at a speech at the Justice Department on Friday .
An independent review ordered by Obama amid concerns that NSA snooping, revealed in leaks by Edward Snowden last year, had gone too far recommended that government do a better job of protecting civil liberties.
The choice Obama makes will permanently place his signature on the intelligence initiative and help define his legacy as a chief executive who promised a more open and transparent government when he entered the White House five years ago.
NSA domestic and international phone and e-mail surveillance is considered some of the most widespread intelligence gathering performed by the U.S. government.
Karen Greenberg, Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School in New York, believes Obama will probably err on the side of transparency,
“This is a President who, despite his critics and despite his wanting to keep some things secret, has always wanted to be seen as a President who embraces transparency,” Greenberg said.
She said Obama faces “the tenor” of the public, which seems to indicate that “there is a trend toward wanting to restrain the powers of the intelligence community.”
White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Monday that the Obama administration wants to be as transparent as possible.
“We are talking about intelligence gathering and there are, almost by definition, aspects of it that have to remain secret in order to be effective. But there should be, in the President's view, steps that we can take to build confidence about the way these programs are administered,” Carney said.
Greenberg said steps going forward most likely will include implementing some recommendations from the review.
She predicted he will order private companies to assume responsibility for storing private data, which the government could not access unless requested.
Greenberg said Obama also may recommend establishing an adversarial legal process to protect civil liberties.
For example, when the government asks for court approval to collect data or other information, some kind of board or person could be tapped “to fight for the other side for the right to privacy – the right not to be surveilled and to have the government have your information if there is not some standard of cause to do so.”
Greenberg said Obama could also adopt ”the strengthening of a civil liberties and privacy protection board to make sure there is an ongoing conversation on the proper balance between liberty and security when it comes to the issue of surveillance.”
Carney said Monday that Obama had not yet finalized his recommendations.
He said the President’s goal is to give the public “more confidence” in NSA programs and demonstrate “that they are pursued in a way that meets the standard the President set, which is that we do what we should do in order to keep the American people safe and the country safe and our allies safe, not just what we can do because we have the capacity to do it.“
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
Yes so he stripped him of all the rights. This is the one division that should be allowed to do whatever they want .
That's right – a huge sck of sht.
This sck of sht always has room to maneuver. Why can't he lead?
Well said. Just business as usual while attempting to put lipstick on a pig. Although in this instance the pig would likely look better.
This president is like Big Brother in the Orwellian novel 1984 and we are going to trust this control freak, narcissist and compulsive liar?
You can't do it you cannot have X-MAS without Cha Cha Cha -(C-H-I-N-A-)-.
Do not have a motgage Do not talk too any Gov. Employee or representative or contractor about anything...
Do not talk too or allow people with forms of broken American English to have any Control over you...
Don't buy anything and do not Watch movies or listen too Music...
The Military in there work in the Military industrial complex e.g. Congress will never ever again give anyone anywhere so unlucky too be a Citizen any choice in anything ever...it is History...you are not imagining your disapointment...it is as real as the day is long...I say: stop living a lie. Don't Vote Don't work Don't invest Don't have Children Don't Donate money Don't Campaign Don't Watch T.V. Don't listen too Radio and don't allow anyone anywhere too tell you that You are Wrong.
And this is the truth:
The choice Obama makes will permanently place his signature on the intelligence initiative and help define his legacy as a chief executive who promised a more open and transparent government when he entered the White House five years ago.
Where is the transparency?!?!?!? If Obama sides with the NSA, I swear I am voting Republican Party all the way from now on. I am SO dissapointed with having supported both Obama and the DNC – all we've gotten are lies and more lies (IRS, Benghazi, NSA, Govt Shutdown, ObamaCare, etc). Jobs are down, unemployment is up – and the media continues supporting the current administration, no matter what. Where is the objectivity? It's all partisan anymore!!!
Sensorship is in full effect now.
I am guess the heavy lifting for domestic spying will be dealt off to FBI which indeed has specifically changed it's mission to "domestic intelligence". That way NSA is off the hot seat and FBI can continue crushing dissent and criticism of the government as it always has.
They call it Hoovering, which has a double meaning when it comes to FBI.
You should all go to youtube and search for "30c3 To Protect and Infect" If you think you know how you are being watched you need to watch this. Inform yourselves.
BTW, I forgot to mention that the video is not some rant, it's part of tech conference discussing the NSA and it's programs.
Actually the surveillance of NSA is not working. Just yesterday, a prominent media (RT) pointed out that NSA collected data from millions of people (American), claimed to have unearthed around 250 cases of terrorism, but with deeper probe it was found that actually only 1 actual case where NSA successfully neutralized any terrorism attempt. So it will be difficult for White house to defend the utility of NSA & its invasive surveillance.
It is working perfectly. the excuse to fight terrorism is just another lie. Watch "30c3 To Protect and Infect" your smart you can find it easily. I think you may be surprised. Don't worry, its not some rant it's a real disclosure of the NSA's abilities and suspected agenda's
Geez, you cant make this stuff up, More lip service from the inept one. We are now the butt end for jokes due to Obammys failures. Too many to count.
Mr. Vietnam knows how to work a room but not a country. Send him home so he doesn't start World War Three!
Before Obama maneuvers on any NSA "reforms", he needs to exonerate Edward Snowden above all! We have far too many crooks on Capitol Hill getting away with far too much so it would be extremely unfair to condemn Snowden after he did us all a great service!!!
No he does not have any room.. he will say he is putting more oversite.. and meanwhile do nothing