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US intelligence chief Clapper defends spying policy (to discern foreign leaders' intentions)
BBC News ^ | 10/29/13 | BBC

Posted on 10/29/2013 5:29:58 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

The head of US intelligence has told lawmakers that discerning foreign leaders' intentions is a key goal of the nation's spying operations.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said such efforts were a "top tenet" of US intelligence policy.

But he told the intelligence panel of the House of Representatives the US did not "indiscriminately" spy on nations.

Mr Clapper was reacting to a growing international row over reports the US eavesdropped on foreign allies.

"Leadership intentions is kind of a basic tenet of what we collect and analyse," Mr Clapper said, adding that foreign allies spy on US officials and intelligence agencies as a matter of routine.

He said that what he called the torrent of disclosures about American surveillance had been extremely damaging and that he anticipated more.

But he said there was no other country that had the magnitude of oversight that the US had, and that mistakes that had been made were human or technical.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: clapper; intelligence; nsa; nsahearing; policy; spying
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We may need a pool to see who tosses themself on the sword for Obama first.. there is no more room under the bus.
1 posted on 10/29/2013 5:29:58 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

I’m all in favor of gathering intel on other nations leaders. I am unalterably opposed to Obama’s Neo Stasi data mining Americans phone calls and emails.


2 posted on 10/29/2013 5:31:48 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: NormsRevenge

Still no questions on Clapper’s ability to slip back and forth between executive positions with contractors and to the head of agencies they contract with.


3 posted on 10/29/2013 5:33:40 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: NormsRevenge

All countries spy on each other to the extent of their resources. I’ll give you an example. The Republic of Korea (ROK or “South Korea”) are one of our staunchest allies. We even have ROKA troops assigned to our 2nd Infantry Divisions as KATUSAs, yet they still spy on us. I’ve caught them doing it.


4 posted on 10/29/2013 5:33:52 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Ted Cruz/Sarah Palin 2016)
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To: NormsRevenge

Am I the only one who thinks BO is using this info to spy on conservatives and political opponents?

This made it possible for example for him to not give an inch in the recent government shutdown knowing the PUBBIES would fold like a cheap suit when the debt ceiling limit was closing in?

Of course if asked, I’m pretty sure BO would “know nothing Mein Fuhrer”


5 posted on 10/29/2013 5:37:20 PM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Go Egypt on 0bama)
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To: NormsRevenge

I want the NSA spying on foreign leaders. If they aren’t doing that, then we need to fire them.

I don’t want them spying on me. If they are doing that, then we need to fire them.


6 posted on 10/29/2013 5:38:45 PM PDT by marron
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To: NormsRevenge

With Allies of many decades of formal and personal relationships —

you can ask them what their policies are, and based upon decades of trusted relationships you can weigh what is truth and what is hyperbole, if anything;

you can read in their press as to what their policies are;

and if you are STILL CLUELESS about the policies of a long-standing ally, you might endeavor to find out through monitoring Communications of State

but to monitor her personal cell phone?!?

have you no shame?? o eavsdroppers?!?


7 posted on 10/29/2013 5:42:41 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH (wE)
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To: NormsRevenge
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper , lied to Congress , and then reluctantly stated that it was the least untruthful answer.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper , then lied to the American people ( his employers).

Obviously James Clapper fits right in with this "honest (?)" and "transparent (?)" administration .
If it weren't for Snowden , all this lieing and spying on our allies and enemies would still be unknown
much less that the National Intelligence Agency continues to spy on American citizens even to this day .
Little wonder that our enemies don't fear us , and our friends don't trust us .
The immorallity of this administration has stolen from us the 'moral high ground',.. and cheapened our national reputation.

8 posted on 10/29/2013 5:43:48 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. -- James Madison)
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To: jwalsh07

amen brother!


9 posted on 10/29/2013 5:44:22 PM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: marron

Wrong, not personal cell numbers of leaders of Allied nations. Are you so paranoid as that? I am not. She grew up under the Stasi.


10 posted on 10/29/2013 5:44:42 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH (wE)
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To: NormsRevenge

Just days before Snowden spilled his guts, Clapper swore to Congress that the NSA wasn’t spying on Americans. He’s a liar, like so many in this administration.


11 posted on 10/29/2013 5:45:35 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: cripplecreek

“Still no questions on Clapper’s ability to slip back and forth between executive positions with contractors and to the head of agencies they contract with.”

Clapper is a proven liar who should be in jail. I’m sure if you uncover those contractor/gov’t rocks you’ll find the ol’ liar with his hand in the till. That he is in a position of trust is an absurdity.


12 posted on 10/29/2013 5:46:44 PM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

“Little wonder that our enemies don’t fear us , and our friends don’t trust us .
The immorallity of this administration has stolen from us the ‘moral high ground’,.. and cheapened our national reputation. “

You got that, and high time for it to end. What will it take? Where are the statesmen capable of the high ground? Marshall, Clay in the 40s, who now?


13 posted on 10/29/2013 5:48:22 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH (wE)
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To: NormsRevenge

Actually, I agree that we should be spying on foreign leaders. We’re just not supposed to get caught at it. If Jonathon Pollard is an example we throw caught spies in jail, even if it’s an ally spying on an ally.

And, unless they’re stupid, they’re spying on us. (Especially given that Obama would probably sell Mooch to Dennis Rodman for Kim Jung Il and 2 players to be named later.)


14 posted on 10/29/2013 5:50:49 PM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: RFEngineer

It appears that he went directly from an executive position at Booz Allen (The company Edward Snowden worked for) to head of the NSA.

There is a lot of that stuff going on in government. One of John Mccain’s former staff directors went directly to a CEO position at one of the big defense contractors (Boeing?) and is now back in Washington as the GOP staff director for the armed services committee.


15 posted on 10/29/2013 5:55:35 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: xzins

“we should be spying on foreign leaders. We’re just not supposed to get caught at it.”

Right. Do not get caught at it. BUT . . .

not personal cell phones SHEESH Why do you want to know what they say to their spouse, kids, housekeeper, etc.?@!?

how about just official business lines for Stasi’s sakes?!?

Don’t defend the unnecessary and therefore indefensible.


16 posted on 10/29/2013 5:57:51 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH (wE)
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To: cripplecreek

I remember that Casey’s goal supposedly was a “real” CIA that was self-sustaining and existed beyond the visible CIA that was primarily for show.

I’m of two minds I suppose. Its good theater to see them put the head of NSA on the hot seat, and see him lie to congress.

On the other hand, it seems to me that a real spy agency would be headed by someone whose name and face would be unknown to the general public. He would never be asked anything on camera by anyone who wasn’t cleared to know the answer. So, maybe that’s how it is; Brennan and Alexander are just the public face. Similar to the way Suvorov described GRU, that the head of station wasn’t the head of station, his supposed driver or gardener was.

In any case, that would mean that the real spy agency is buried within the collection of contractors supposedly working for the above-ground agencies.


17 posted on 10/29/2013 6:10:01 PM PDT by marron
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To: AMDG&BVMH

Actually, we do want to catch Merkl in bed with Francois Hollande.

If nothing else it will prove that: Schnitzel mit Champignons is an international dish.


18 posted on 10/29/2013 6:10:29 PM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

clap on clap off just like seen on TV../s


19 posted on 10/29/2013 6:12:07 PM PDT by rolling_stone
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To: xzins

Schnitzel mit Champagnons

NEEDS NO FURTHER PROOF! delicious in any language

; )


20 posted on 10/29/2013 6:12:57 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH (wE)
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