Yet, he knows plenty.
Posted on 10/28/2013 12:49:51 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
The White House was unaware of National Security Agency surveillance targeting world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and ordered the spy agency to cease some monitoring programs after learning of them, according to a report Sunday in The Wall Street Journal.
According to the paper, the White House first learned of the operations during an internal administration review over the summer. After their revelation, the White House ordered the NSA to halt some monitoring programs, including the one tracking Merkel. Other surveillance efforts are still winding down.
The Journal report contradicts a story in the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag that suggests that the president was personally briefed on the operation to monitor Merkel’s phone three years ago.
But according to the Journal’s reporting, President Obama only authorized broad intelligence-gathering priorities. Senior administration officials told the newspaper that individual surveillance levels were made on the agency level.
The report comes as top German intelligence officials were set to travel to Washington this week to ask questions about the alleged surveillance of Merkel.
On Friday, NBC News reported the White House might be open to no-spy agreements with Germany and other close allies outraged over the alleged surveillance of their leaders’ phone and digital communications.
“We are already in diplomatic and intelligence channels talking to the Germans, French, countries around the world — Brazil and Mexico, as well,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told the network. “I think we’ll have a series of bilateral discussions with these countries and look at multilateral discussions as well.”
The U.S. has preexisting no-spy agreements with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain.
Obama assured Merkel in a personal phone conversation that the U.S. would not monitor her personal communications in the future.
But some Republicans — including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rodgers (R-Mich.) — said European leaders should not complain about American intelligence operations.
“I would argue by the way, if the French citizens knew exactly what that was about, they would be applauding and popping champagne corks,” Rodgers told CNN.
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said the president should not apologize for the spy craft.
The president should stop apologizing, stop being defensive,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The reality is the NSA has saved thousands of lives not just in the United States but in France, Germany and throughout Europe. Quite frankly, the NSA has done so much for our country and so much for the president, he’s the commander in chief. He should stand with the NSA.”
Healthcare
National Security
NASA
Home ownership
Employment
Electric grid
Commerce
Allies
I understand that there is a bridge for sale somewhere in Brooklyn, NY USA.
I can not believe the American people were dumb enough to elect this man. I don’t think we will ever be able to recover.
Unaware, eh? The POTUS in a total daze and shifting the blame again?
President Sgt. Schultz
Yet, he knows plenty.
This reminds me of the old National Lampoon “Missing White House Tapes” album from the Watergate period.
During the Watergate hearings they panel asked a witness, “What did the President know, and when did he start knowing it?”
Obama will deflect every claim, avoid responsibility, vote present, check out and go for a round of golf.
Bush knew!, Bush knew!, now I am off to the golf green...
When it comes to ignorance of what’s happening 0bama bats 1,000!
“I understand that there is a bridge for sale somewhere in Brooklyn, NY USA.”
and the troll who lives under that bridge has big ears, no brains and comes from Kenya.
He didn’t know until CNN told him.
After a while, these denial episodes and lack of knowledge episodes....all add up. A true executive would demand accountability and put a priority on managing his “program”. I don’t think he has the talent or skill to do that. He’s just a presentation guy....a speech-giver, and you will never get any more than that.
LOL.
You forgot amnesty. It won’t be the final nail in the coffin, it will be the knife in the heart of the Republic.
What a guy, Good news - Intimately involved knows every minute detail.
Bad news - I know nothing
captain obama and his media shield
“The White House was unaware of National Security Agency surveillance targeting world leaders...”
Horse sh*t.
Obama said “No one is madder about this than I am - that’s why it’s going to be fixed” about Obamacare.....
I guess all the other things that he should be “madder about” will be “fixed” once he finds out about them....like Benghazi and all the other national security and domestic problems he didn’t, doesn’t, won’t admit knowing about [Obama floats above a planet in termoil in some rarefied world of make believe] and the Dems and their MSM sycophants caulk all the problems of the world up to GOP opposition to his polices.
He automatically escapes to the campaign trail and the hand-picked low information crowds are there to cheer him on and his compliant MSM dutifully reports on the wonder of Him.
Obama: I was kept ignorant.
The most clueless, un-briefed and unaware President in this country’s history.
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