Sunday, December 22, 2013

Ex-CIA Official: NSA Officers are Necessary 'Patriots'



Ex-CIA Official: NSA Officers are Necessary 'Patriots'
Sunday, 22 Dec 2013 12:41 PM
By Sandy Fitzgerald
Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell Sunday defended the National Security Agency's procedures, calling officers "patriots" who are needed to keep the country safe.

"The NSA is not spying on Americans," Morell, who was a member of a presidential panel that this week recommended sweeping limits on the government's surveillance programs, insisted to CBS "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer Sunday. "It is not focused on any single American. It is not reading the content of my phone calls, or yours, or anyone else. It is focused on the metadata only."

But even though the panel had concerns about how Americans' information is gathered, the programs should not be outlawed, said Morell, who was also acting CIA director.

"There has not been a successful terrorist attack in the United States since 9-11," Morell said Sunday. But that doesn't mean that the NSA's work should stop, he said.

"The officers that work there are patriots," Morell said, noting that the threat of terrorism still exists, and while the danger dropped some in recent years, it could grow again.

Further, the NSA was not acting on its own, but was "doing the things the government asked it to do," Morell said, noting that the agency was overseen by Congress and the nation's intelligence services.

"There was no abuse here," he said.

Further, Morell said the NSA's data gathering is done to ensure overseas terrorists aren't making contact with Americans. But what's being collected, said Morell, are telephone numbers and when they're called and the duration of the calls.

"There are no names attached to it," he said.

He noted that many people think the presidential review panel didn't see value in the program, when that is not the case.

Morell said the investigation panel found out that out of a "couple hundred times a year, there are dozen, maybe 15 times a year where they [the NSA] has tipped information to the FBI… It is very important for our government to be able to look into that database to see if that terrorist is talking to anyone in the United States."

However, the panel said that the government should not hold on to the telephone data that's being gathered, but instead, the information should be held outside the government, and the NSA would have to go to court and give justification to access it.

The process could take a few days, unless the search is under an emergency situation, Morell said.

"We think this better protects privacy and civil liberties while allowing the government to protect this country," said Morell.

Morell does not believe NSA leaker Edward Snowden should get amnesty for his disclosures, which exposed many of the agency's more sensitive intelligence activities.

"No, I feel strongly about that," said Morell. "He violated the trust put in him by the U.S. government. He has committed a crime."

Further, he denied that Snowden is a whistleblower, saying that "a whistleblower doesn't run. A whistleblower does not disclose information that has nothing to do without what he says his cause is."

Morell said that if he could talk to the young fugitive, who has been given temporary sanctuary in Russia, he would tell him to "come home and be judged."

"I would say, 'Edward, you say you are a patriot, you say you want to protect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans, you say you want Americans to have a debate. If you really believe that Americans should be the judge of this program, then you should also believe that Americans should be the judge of your behavior,'" Morell said.

Michael Morell
Michael J. Morell was the deputy director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is a member of the White House intelligence technologies review panel, and a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Note: George H.W. Bush was a director at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the president for the George H.W. Bush administration, is a member of the Burning Tree Club, and a member of the Bohemian Club.
Bob Schieffer is a member of the Burning Tree Club, the anchor & moderator for Face the Nation, and the chief Washington correspondent for the CBS News.
Walter L. Cronkite was the anchorman for the CBS News, and a member of the Bohemian Club.
George H.W. Bush talks about the NWO; Walter Cronkite said he is glad to sit at the Right Hand of Satan
Dark Secrets inside Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Club
Weaving Spiders Come Not Here
The Bavarian Order of the Illuminati Owl of Wisdom
Henry A. Kissinger is a member of the Bohemian Club, the founder of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Judith A. Miscik is the president & vice chairman for Kissinger Associates, Inc., a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, the deputy director of intelligence for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and a director at the International Rescue Committee.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank), the New America Foundation, and the Committee for Economic Development.
George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a board member for the International Crisis Group, and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society, and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
Samantha Power was a director at the International Rescue Committee, a board member for the International Crisis Group, Barack Obama’s aide, is the United Nations U.S. ambassador for the Barack Obama administration, and married to Cass R. Sunstein.
Cass R. Sunstein is married to Samantha Power, a member of the White House intelligence technologies review panel, and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
White House intelligence technologies review panel is reviewing the practices of the National Security Agency (NSA).
Geoffrey R. Stone was a director at the American Constitution Society, and is a member of the White House intelligence technologies review panel.
Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr. is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Lee H. Hamilton is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Stephen Friedman is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and was a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Rita E. Hauser is a director at the New America Foundation, a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
Paul G. Kaminski was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and is a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Chuck Hagel is the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense, and was the co-chairman for the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Michael J. Morell is a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, a member of the White House intelligence technologies review panel, and was the deputy director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
White House intelligence technologies review panel is reviewing the practices of the National Security Agency (NSA).
Edward Snowden leaked information about the National Security Agency (NSA), and an employee at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Booz Allen Hamilton is a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
Robert S. Osborne is the EVP & general counsel for Booz Allen Hamilton, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory
Please note: This link for the members of the Commercial Club of Chicago can no longer be found.
W. James McNerney Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman & president & CEO for the Boeing Company.
Boeing Company is a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
Barbara G. Fast was a VP at the Boeing Company, and a VP for the CGI Group Inc.
CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.
Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.
Donna S. Morea was the EVP for the CGI Group Inc., and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

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