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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIndefinite Surveillance: Say Hello to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014
Indefinite Surveillance: Say Hello to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 19:42
By Stephen Benavides, Truthout | News Analysis
Passed in 1978, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) set the groundwork for surveillance, collection, and analysis of intelligence gathered from foreign powers and agents of foreign powers, up to and including any individual residing within the U.S., who were suspected of involvement in potential terrorist activity. On October 26, 2001, a little over a month after 9/11, President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act into law. Two provisions, Sec. 206, permitting government to obtain secret court orders allowing roving wiretaps without requiring identification of the person, organization, or facility to be surveyed, and Sec. 215 authorizing government to access and obtain any tangible thing relevant to a terrorist investigation, transformed foreign intelligence into domestic intelligence.
NDAA 2014 builds on the powers granted by both the Patriot Act and FISA by allowing unrestricted analysis and research of captured records pertaining to any organization or individual now or once hostile to the United States. Under the Patriot Act, the ability to obtain any tangible thing eliminated any expectation of privacy. Under NDAA 2014 Sec. 1061(g)(1), an overly vague definition of captured records enhances government power and guarantees indefinite surveillance.
On May 22, 2013 the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities, one of several Armed Services Committees, met to discuss the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014. The main subject of the hearing was Sec. 1061, otherwise known as Enhancement of Capacity of the United States Government to Analyze Captured Records. This enhancement provision of NDAA 2014 would effectively create a new intelligence agency, one with the authority to analyze information gained under the Patriot Act, FISA, and known spying programs such as PRISM.
Sec. 1061(a) authorizes the Secretary of Defense to "establish a center to be known as the 'Conflict Records Research Center'" (Center). The main purpose of the center, according to the bill text, is to create a "digital research database," one with the capability to "translate" and facilitate research on "records captured from countries, organizations and individuals, now or once hostile to the United States." The authorization also says the Center will conduct research and analysis to "increase the understanding of factors related to international relations, counterterrorism and conventional and unconventional warfare, and ultimately, enhance national security." .....................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/17070-indefinite-surveillance-say-hello-to-the-national-defense-authorization-act-of-2014
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Solly Mack
(90,785 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)Last edited Fri Jun 21, 2013, 09:38 AM - Edit history (1)
Well by that criterion, they are free to spy on:
England
Canada
Spain
The Philippines
Japan, Italy, Germany
Mexico
Russia and all former eastern block countries
China
And all the former confederate states
I'm sure I'm missing a few others, and I'm also sure that the definition can be stretched to fit any state.
On edit, add to the list:
Native Americans
Southeast Asia
N. Korea, Cuba
Venezuela, Bolivia, oh hell just put all of South America on the list too.
All former British Colonies
All former Spanish Colonies
Libya, Egypt, All of the middle east except possibly Israel (sort of a frenemy at times, though)
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)snappyturtle
(14,656 posts)bases covered. God help anyone netted under NSA, FISA,or NDAA.
They can twist the provisions under these to end freedom as we
used to know it. If the truth be known DUers could probably be
considered 'hostile' as well as those on the streets peacefully
demonstrating. We're cooked. imho
(Underlining mine)
ReRe
(10,597 posts)... I have no doubt. I have read so much this week, so I can't remember exactly where it was, but it stated that there would be NSA folks on websites (like DU). (If anyone can remember where I read that, please speak up. No doubt someone else read it too.)
Yip, this NDAA takes us back to before the Magna Carta.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)xchrom
(108,903 posts)cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
BumRushDaShow
(129,447 posts)was signed by President James Earl Carter, Jr.
Imagine that.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)What carter signed was designed to stop this and a recommendation of the Church and Pike committees.
Over the decades, and especially since 2001 it was defanged from protections of Americans and transformed into a tool of the totalitarian state.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)byeya
(2,842 posts)cabinent, it's similar to Ford's or the first Bush's.
Too many people look at Jimmy The Good for his post-presidency good works(some of them are good anyway) and forget he turned his back on building the Democratic Party and was against most things progresive.
I am glad I voted for Jesse Jackson in the first primary and voted for Jesse Jackson in the primary after Carter's forst term.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)and is tightening.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)It will end, but it won't be peaceful.
jsr
(7,712 posts)AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
SmittynMo
(3,544 posts)This country is going beserk. Nothing is private anymore. Every year, something else is taken from us that we once had. Privacy!!!! Thanks Bush. Thanks Obama. Has anyone noticed we're going backwards, not forward? So much for the laws and the constitution!!! We keep abusing both.
I can't imagine what this country will look like, 50-100 years from now.
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)but this will make it even LEGALER!!!11!!
IDemo
(16,926 posts)1 - No one here is a constitutional scholar and therefore cannot begin to understand the bill.
2 - Failing to support this will only reveal you as a Paula Deen sympathizer.
3 - Jeb Bush, Rand Paul.
4 - Hillary!!11!!
5 - Link: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Spurious_argument
felix_numinous
(5,198 posts)-open access is the holy grail. I am beginning to wonder if civics was a fairy tale told to us as little children.