Posted on 06/14/2013 7:21:15 AM PDT by LucianOfSamasota
The FBI has shrugged off growing congressional anxiety over its surveillance of US citizens, claiming such programs could have foiled the 9-11 terrorist attacks and would prevent "another Boston".
The FBI director, Robert Mueller, also revealed that US authorities would be taking action against whistleblower Edward Snowden for revealing the extent of its activities, confirming that the FBI and department of justice were taking "all necessary steps to hold the person responsible".
But Mueller's testimony before the House judicial oversight committee brought angry responses from many congressmen, who questioned whether such surveillance was lawful and demanded to know why it had failed to prevent the Boston bombing if it were so effective.
In a frequently heated debate over balancing privacy and security, Mueller went further than other government officials in claiming that the collection of data on all American phone calls had become an essential part of counter-terrorism efforts and would make the US "exceptionally vulnerable" if watered down.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I’m waving my BS flag.
Able Danger was already pinpointing the clowns.
The NSA could have stopped the Lincoln Assassination was well.
As well you should.
The less obvious one is: if this surveillance has prevented "dozens" of other attacks, as they say - where is the evidence?
Was anyone arrested? Was anyone convicted?
I find it hard to beleive that dozens of secret investigations and secret trials and secret convictions have been conducted without someone clamoring to take credit.
Mueller was told by the Russians to take out the
Boston terrorists .. or they would.
But no, they were protected after killing three Jews
in Massachusetts by beheading.
And then after Mueller would not notify the Russians
the bad actors had returned to Dagestan, they
were welcomed back to the USA without passports.
Why the special-’no problem, go right on through’-Whitey Bulger
treatment for the Boston terrorists?
WHEN WILL THE TREASON AGAINST THE US CONSTITUTION END?
An arsonist set 18 fires in Colorado Springs last year before last years big fire and this year there is an even bigger fire that is under criminal investigation. There have been several large chemical plant disasters lately. Why can’t these big data big money agencies stop these things? Maybe they should add Muslims to the investigation.
Secure borders, better screening of individuals who wish to enter our country, and honest recognition of who our enemies are also could have prevented the 9/11 attack.
Robert Muller is, I thought until I witnessed his embarrassing testimony, a better man than Obama. Playing the good soldier to Obama is tantamount to throwing American citizens under the bus.
So could frequent door-to-door searches with battering rams. Do we want those? If all passengers had been forced to wear straight jackets and chained to their seats, that would have stopped 9/11 too.
Came here to make that exact point.
Jamie Gorelick’s “wall of separation” kept Able Danger info from leading to foiling the 9/11 plot. Some of us think this was done on purpose. Not in a “Truther” sense as most have come to think, but something far more nefarious. Knowingly allowing a plot to continue for political gain...
Able Danger according to congress was unaware of 9-11 Mohamed Atta.
In December 2006, a sixteen-month investigation by the US Senate Intelligence Committee concluded “Able Danger did not identify Mohamed Atta or any other 9/11 hijacker at any time prior to September 11, 2001,” and dismissed other assertions that have fueled 9/11 conspiracy theories.
I may be a minority of one but I am beginning to wonder if we would not be better off without all this security. Is the lost of our freedom worth it?
First, life is risky. Anyone of us could die in an accident each time we get in our car and go somewhere. We could die as a spectator at a sporting event. We could die by slipping in the shower... or, well you get the idea.
The bottom line is life is risky, and dangerous. Every time the government attempts to make us safe,we in fact loose a part of our freedom (at minimum to make the choice to do something that may harm us).
But my point is just where on the risk level is being hurt or killed by a terrorist? I do not have the numbers, but I would safely say more Americans have died in automobile accidents since 9/11 then in terrorist attacks.
Yet, the government, in the name of making us safe whats us to give up our privacy, give up our freedom, give up on being able to move about the nation freely (without leaving a paper trail and crossing armed check points).
As others have pointed out, terrorist have been able to attack kill and wounded Americans even with all these safeguards.
If I was a cynical person I would believe that all of these efforts to make us “safe” really has nothing to do with keeping us safe, but a lot to do with the government trying to control us.
Wonderful punchline.
I really believe that the older brother was an asset thru his uncle and he went rouge.Also, I have no doubt the government knew who Hasan was communicating with. They were
only hoping he was play acting jihad.They were afraid to bring charges against a muslim army officer.
We have enough problems with needing to stabilize the population of the US who are citizens. The answer isn't more spying on us, it's not allowing any more than absolutely new residents until we recover. That and getting as many non-citizens out of the US as possible. Don't our US Senators and the HOR get it? We cannont stabilize as a nation unless we cut down the size of our population, and figure out a way to make millions of disfranchised US citizens productive and responsible members of their communities.
Well it seems to have stopped all of those attacks by the right-wing conservative Christians. Not one of them has taken place since Big Brother started watching.
This comment is so stupid it defies all logic! It couldn't stop 'Boston' just 2 months ago but it will stop the next one. What idiocy!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.