I'd tend to agree with you. McCain seems primarily upset about Merkel being spied upon, not the wholesale vacuuming up of the rest of the world's Internet communications. He's also clearly anti-Snowden/anti-whistleblower.
I'm not so sure, and just as a note, I'm pretty liberal.
> Asked if the US intelligence services were out of control, McCain said: "There's not been sufficient congressional oversight, and there has been an absolutely disgraceful sharing of information that never should have taken place. For many years, we had an absolute provision that any classified information, which was going to be shared, is based on need-to-know information."
It seems like he thinks the spying was egregious as well. Given his hawkish nature, I'd be surprised if he was actually that upset about it, but this article makes it seem like he's equally upset that we were doing it and that it was being run in such a poor manner.
"And now we have a contractor employee, not a government employee, who has access to information which is, when revealed, most damaging to the standing prestige of the United States and our relations with some of our best friends," McCain said"
(Emphasis mine)
If revealing the truth about what the Government is doing damages the standing prestige of the country, then is he implying that much of that prestige is based on a lie?
> If revealing the truth about what the Government is doing damages the standing prestige of the country, then is he implying that much of that prestige is based on a lie?
Are you trying to claim that 'if the government has done nothing wrong, it has nothing to fear'? I mean, I don't really care which way you believe on that idea but you should at least be logically consistent :P
Sadly, old man McCain wants to see Alexander fired for all the wrong reasons. It's not the crime, it's the cover-up. McCain is throwing his hat in with the cover-up.
Interesting! First Dianne Fienstein proposes a "bait and Switch" reform bill which is going nowhere and now you're suggesting Keith Alexander falls on his sword and takes full responsibility so the public thinks there is closure.
Sneaky! Will it fly with the common man or is the common man getting it?
Yes, because the problem isn't that American government is doing things which, when revealed, are "most damaging to the standing prestige of the United States and our relations with some of our best friends." No, the problem is that one man had the courage to reveal information about the kind of shit American government is doing to our "best friends." Clearly!
Recently on TV John Bolton said something in a similar vein -- that everybody spies on each other but no one talks about it and it's the people (such as Snowden) who leak that are the problem, not the program itself.
But it seems to me that if something is commonplace and accepted then why all the sotto voce?
Because once again the government practices ethical double standards. Which makes sense if you assume a class structure where bureaucrats occupy the superior class and those outside government occupy an inferior class.
I was encouraged by the headline, until I read why McCain wants him fired. Not for ignoring the 4th amendment; not for repeatedly, knowing lying to congress —a felony— and destroying their ability to provide any oversight; not for his tact...See More
When I read the title of this article I was so pleasantly surprised. Who would have thought that McCain (an old warmonger who is power hungry) would say?
After reading that I now see that he wanted him fired, not because the NSA targeted everyone and not because the NSA violated everyone's privacy but only because the NSA boss should have had even more security protocols in place.
[+] [-] rurounijones|12 years ago|reply
He is calling for Alexander to be fired for letting it slip (specifically, for letting a contractor get that information.)
He hedges his language very well when asked about NSA shenanigans.
[+] [-] r0h1n|12 years ago|reply
FYI - this is the entire Q&A on the Der Spiegel site: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-932721.html
[+] [-] d23|12 years ago|reply
> Asked if the US intelligence services were out of control, McCain said: "There's not been sufficient congressional oversight, and there has been an absolutely disgraceful sharing of information that never should have taken place. For many years, we had an absolute provision that any classified information, which was going to be shared, is based on need-to-know information."
It seems like he thinks the spying was egregious as well. Given his hawkish nature, I'd be surprised if he was actually that upset about it, but this article makes it seem like he's equally upset that we were doing it and that it was being run in such a poor manner.
[+] [-] krapp|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] darkxanthos|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bane|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Bsharp|12 years ago|reply
If he had won in 2008, he would be right in the middle of this too.
[+] [-] stephen_g|12 years ago|reply
"And now we have a contractor employee, not a government employee, who has access to information which is, when revealed, most damaging to the standing prestige of the United States and our relations with some of our best friends," McCain said" (Emphasis mine)
If revealing the truth about what the Government is doing damages the standing prestige of the country, then is he implying that much of that prestige is based on a lie?
[+] [-] mpyne|12 years ago|reply
Are you trying to claim that 'if the government has done nothing wrong, it has nothing to fear'? I mean, I don't really care which way you believe on that idea but you should at least be logically consistent :P
[+] [-] justinph|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] SCAQTony|12 years ago|reply
Sneaky! Will it fly with the common man or is the common man getting it?
[+] [-] jobu|12 years ago|reply
Snowden plans to give up all of the documents publicly, so I can see how this is even close to relevant.
[+] [-] rubbingalcohol|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] steve19|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] x0054|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dinkumthinkum|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] squozzer|12 years ago|reply
But it seems to me that if something is commonplace and accepted then why all the sotto voce?
Because once again the government practices ethical double standards. Which makes sense if you assume a class structure where bureaucrats occupy the superior class and those outside government occupy an inferior class.
[+] [-] joelrunyon|12 years ago|reply
The irony here. It hurts.
[+] [-] lylebarrere|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Qantourisc|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|12 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] mcantelon|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] FridayWithJohn|12 years ago|reply
After reading that I now see that he wanted him fired, not because the NSA targeted everyone and not because the NSA violated everyone's privacy but only because the NSA boss should have had even more security protocols in place.