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White House official pens op-ed urging 'greater focus' in foreign surveillance
Source: The Guardian
White House official pens op-ed urging 'greater focus' in foreign surveillance
Dan Robertsin Washington
theguardian.com, Friday 25 October 2013 15.44 BST
The White House edged closer on Friday towards an apology for eavesdropping on friendly foreign leaders with a newspaper column acknowledging the damage caused by excessive collection of data.
“We want to ensure we are collecting information because we need it and not just because we can,” said homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco.
She also called for “greater focus” to ensure the US was balancing “security needs with the privacy concerns all people share”.
Until recently, such calls for balance from the administration officials have focused only on the privacy of US citizens, but the allegations of surveillance in France and Germany this week have led to a shift that now includes foreign concerns.
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Dan Robertsin Washington
theguardian.com, Friday 25 October 2013 15.44 BST
The White House edged closer on Friday towards an apology for eavesdropping on friendly foreign leaders with a newspaper column acknowledging the damage caused by excessive collection of data.
“We want to ensure we are collecting information because we need it and not just because we can,” said homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco.
She also called for “greater focus” to ensure the US was balancing “security needs with the privacy concerns all people share”.
Until recently, such calls for balance from the administration officials have focused only on the privacy of US citizens, but the allegations of surveillance in France and Germany this week have led to a shift that now includes foreign concerns.
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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/white-house-op-ed-nsa-foreign-surveillance
Source: USA Today
Obama administration: Surveillance policies under review
Lisa Monaco 8:43 p.m. EDT October 24, 2013
Over the past few months, a series of unauthorized disclosures of classified information have led to criticisms of our intelligence activities. These disclosures have created significant challenges in our relationships with some of our closest foreign partners.
To be clear: Our intelligence capabilities, and the dedication of the men and women who work in the U.S. intelligence community, including at the NSA, are beyond compare. Their contributions and sacrifices are a significant reason we have enjoyed relative security since 9/11.
No one disputes the need for careful, thorough intelligence gathering. Nor is it a secret that we collect information about what is happening around the world to help protect our citizens, our allies and our homeland. So does every intelligence service in the world.
While our capabilities are unmatched, the U.S. government is not operating unrestrained. We are not listening to every phone call or reading every e-mail. Far from it. There are legal limits to what the NSA can and cannot do, and the recent disclosures and additional documents the government has declassified prove just how seriously the NSA takes these limits.
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Lisa Monaco 8:43 p.m. EDT October 24, 2013
Over the past few months, a series of unauthorized disclosures of classified information have led to criticisms of our intelligence activities. These disclosures have created significant challenges in our relationships with some of our closest foreign partners.
To be clear: Our intelligence capabilities, and the dedication of the men and women who work in the U.S. intelligence community, including at the NSA, are beyond compare. Their contributions and sacrifices are a significant reason we have enjoyed relative security since 9/11.
No one disputes the need for careful, thorough intelligence gathering. Nor is it a secret that we collect information about what is happening around the world to help protect our citizens, our allies and our homeland. So does every intelligence service in the world.
While our capabilities are unmatched, the U.S. government is not operating unrestrained. We are not listening to every phone call or reading every e-mail. Far from it. There are legal limits to what the NSA can and cannot do, and the recent disclosures and additional documents the government has declassified prove just how seriously the NSA takes these limits.
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Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/10/24/nsa-foreign-leaders-president-obama-lisa-monaco-editorials-debates/3183331/
