NSA Head: "no better way his agency can help protect the US from foreign threats" (Iraq, attorneys)

[DRob4JC]

NSA: No better way to protect US than surveillance

US National Security Agency (NSA) chief says he knows of no better way his agency can help protect the US from foreign threats than with spy programs that collect billions of phone and Internet records from around the world.

Pleading with the Senate Judiciary Committee to not abolish the NSA bulk-collection programs, Gen. Keith Alexander said Wednesday that global threats are growing — specifically in Iraq and Syria — that pose what he called "an unacceptable risk" to America.

...
Alexander said the NSA is open to talking to technology companies for a better solution without compromising security.


Really??

I will quote tennis great John McEnroe - "You can't be serious!"

I guess it is easier to assume every is guilty first and get everyone's info than to do investigative work first, get approvals to search certain people's data, and so on.

[AeroGuyDC]

Mark my words....one day....NSA-procured records of individuals will make their way into criminal and civil court proceedings having no "national security" merit. The first, second, and third time it happens, defendants' attorneys will fight this "new found information" presented by the prosecutor and the judge will disallow it. It will just be chalked up to an "error" by a "low-level" NSA employees who "accidentally" released the records. The fourth time and beyond, it will be considered "new policy" to allow "certain records" picked up by "spy operations" to be "allowed" in a "court of law."

It's called "incrementalism" and it knows no bounds when it comes to the United States Government.

Who wants to embark on a long-term wager with me?