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stevenleser

(32,886 posts)
24. Not correct. He spoke about it 10 days before Snowden's leaks.
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:11 PM
Mar 2014

The President was refining the NSA's surveillance program throughout his administration, to the point that up to one and a half weeks before Snowden leaked his information, the President was talking about that at this speech at the National Defense University. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/23/remarks-president-national-defense-university to wit:

Meanwhile, we strengthened our defenses -- hardening targets, tightening transportation security, giving law enforcement new tools to prevent terror. Most of these changes were sound. Some caused inconvenience. But some, like expanded surveillance, raised difficult questions about the balance that we strike between our interests in security and our values of privacy. And in some cases, I believe we compromised our basic values -- by using torture to interrogate our enemies, and detaining individuals in a way that ran counter to the rule of law.

So after I took office, we stepped up the war against al Qaeda but we also sought to change its course. We relentlessly targeted al Qaeda’s leadership. We ended the war in Iraq, and brought nearly 150,000 troops home. We pursued a new strategy in Afghanistan, and increased our training of Afghan forces. We unequivocally banned torture, affirmed our commitment to civilian courts, worked to align our policies with the rule of law, and expanded our consultations with Congress.

Today, Osama bin Laden is dead, and so are most of his top lieutenants. There have been no large-scale attacks on the United States, and our homeland is more secure. Fewer of our troops are in harm’s way, and over the next 19 months they will continue to come home. Our alliances are strong, and so is our standing in the world. In sum, we are safer because of our efforts.

Now, make no mistake, our nation is still threatened by terrorists. From Benghazi to Boston, we have been tragically reminded of that truth. But we have to recognize that the threat has shifted and evolved from the one that came to our shores on 9/11. With a decade of experience now to draw from, this is the moment to ask ourselves hard questions -- about the nature of today’s threats and how we should confront them.

And these questions matter to every American.


For over the last decade, our nation has spent well over a trillion dollars on war, helping to explode our deficits and constraining our ability to nation-build here at home. Our servicemembers and their families have sacrificed far more on our behalf. Nearly 7,000 Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more have left a part of themselves on the battlefield, or brought the shadows of battle back home. From our use of drones to the detention of terrorist suspects, the decisions that we are making now will define the type of nation -- and world -- that we leave to our children.

So America is at a crossroads. We must define the nature and scope of this struggle, or else it will define us. We have to be mindful of James Madison’s warning that “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” Neither I, nor any President, can promise the total defeat of terror. We will never erase the evil that lies in the hearts of some human beings, nor stamp out every danger to our open society. But what we can do -- what we must do -- is dismantle networks that pose a direct danger to us, and make it less likely for new groups to gain a foothold, all the while maintaining the freedoms and ideals that we defend. And to define that strategy, we have to make decisions based not on fear, but on hard-earned wisdom. That begins with understanding the current threat that we face.

Thanks...Agree wholeheartedly Blue_Tires Mar 2014 #1
Absolutely frazzled Mar 2014 #2
Damn Straight we can, blm. thank you. Cha Mar 2014 #3
I agree, 100%. But the fools who criticize Obama think Obama created the NSA's PRISM machine... Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #4
But the smart people who criticize Obama know that he expanded BushCo's illegal spying cui bono Mar 2014 #10
And furthermore, they elected him with the expectation that he would put an end to Demeter Mar 2014 #36
You think power is accrued that easily in DC, Demeter? blm Mar 2014 #46
So Spit It Out... Do We, Or Do We Not... Live In A Democratic Republic ??? WillyT Mar 2014 #74
You believe he's been apprised of everything CIA/NSA has been doing, even by private firms selected blm Mar 2014 #79
If that is so... grasswire Mar 2014 #104
Doesn't everybody have that obligation? Why didn't Carter? Clinton? Gore? blm Mar 2014 #105
What have you done? nt Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #56
His timing seems suspect Proud Liberal Dem Mar 2014 #5
Good post. However.... rlegro Mar 2014 #34
Have to pull your coat brush Mar 2014 #60
We have similar views. Skidmore Mar 2014 #6
+1000. winter is coming Mar 2014 #7
I agree that it's not about Snowden. I respectfully disagree .... Scuba Mar 2014 #8
These ProSense Mar 2014 #13
It looks to me like these agencies look upon Obama as a modest irritant. Eleanors38 Mar 2014 #76
Certainly this would lead you to that conclusion .... Scuba Mar 2014 #77
Pretty much the way I see it. blm Mar 2014 #82
The alternative? He doesn't know. Hardly reassuring... Eleanors38 Mar 2014 #92
This OP is just a round about way of defending Obama cui bono Mar 2014 #9
Completely ProSense Mar 2014 #11
I admit I didn't read your whole post. After seeing all your LOLs and totally rude cui bono Mar 2014 #12
You are using breitbart.com as a source? Skidmore Mar 2014 #14
Oops! You are right, I shouldn't do that! It was an accident. cui bono Mar 2014 #16
Breitbart? ProSense Mar 2014 #17
I've acknkowledged and corrected that error. cui bono Mar 2014 #19
I posted the provisions of the amendment and you post spin about it. ProSense Mar 2014 #20
I told you, after seeing mostly LOLs and rude posts trying to ridicule people with no substance cui bono Mar 2014 #22
Thanks for knocking down the bullshit spin, ProSense.. I don't read those posts Cha Mar 2014 #28
*sputter* Number23 Mar 2014 #51
.. Cha Mar 2014 #54
Obama voted to give retroactive immunity to telecoms OnyxCollie Mar 2014 #21
This unfortunate "accident" Bobbie Jo Mar 2014 #68
Prove that statement with links to quotes of mine. n/t cui bono Mar 2014 #96
LOL - I think Obama's is one of the weakest presidencies in modern history. I think you must blm Mar 2014 #38
What's made it so weak in your opinion? Repub obstructionism or the goals set by the admin? Number23 Mar 2014 #52
Both - I think getting along with opposition party should have been shelved as a goal blm Mar 2014 #70
Obama went back to getting warrants treestar Mar 2014 #58
He pushed to make the illegal activity of BushCo legal. cui bono Mar 2014 #98
This message was self-deleted by its author Th1onein Mar 2014 #62
This argument is getting shopworn.. sendero Mar 2014 #95
I think you replied to the wrong post. I agree with what you said. n/t cui bono Mar 2014 #97
My apologies.. sendero Mar 2014 #103
OMG!!! A voice of reason!!! I can't take it. kelliekat44 Mar 2014 #15
+ a million Number23 Mar 2014 #26
The President consistently defended NSA overreach . . . markpkessinger Mar 2014 #18
Not correct. He spoke about it 10 days before Snowden's leaks. stevenleser Mar 2014 #24
Thanks steven for your detailed response to Cha Mar 2014 #32
That's not true. As I observed he was hearing the extent of SOME of it as we were. blm Mar 2014 #39
I don't think they see the big picture Ichingcarpenter Mar 2014 #65
And recently, NSA whistleblower Russ Tice. blm Mar 2014 #88
You make important points in your post that most of us who keep posting KoKo Mar 2014 #90
I agree. I wish there WAS a way for Dems to accrue the power base needed to confront this blm Mar 2014 #94
if his presidency is that weakened, then he has little to lose grasswire Mar 2014 #106
I agree - and do so from the comfort of my world OUTSIDE the actual arena. blm Mar 2014 #109
No, the point is to force you to stop pretending such and go after the ones with the power TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #107
Clinton accrued more power in his tenure than Obama has and STILL won't confront them. blm Mar 2014 #108
Excuses to continue the pretense. Push them to lawfully take the power or prove that it TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #111
I agree - Fvck the excuses - say those of us lefties who choose to stay out of the arena blm Mar 2014 #112
so tell us, what were his motives? frylock Mar 2014 #23
My Question is...what the hell can we do about it? fascisthunter Mar 2014 #25
we continue to pressure congress.. frylock Mar 2014 #27
and it's why dialogue on DU about this is so important fascisthunter Mar 2014 #29
word frylock Mar 2014 #30
Except, what has been happening on DU lately has not Skidmore Mar 2014 #31
It's Why I made the Statement fascisthunter Mar 2014 #33
It needs to start with acknowledging that not everyone shares Skidmore Mar 2014 #40
That's True fascisthunter Mar 2014 #42
Perfectly said. Number23 Mar 2014 #53
Who said we're cool with it? Strawmen builders? blm Mar 2014 #41
getting attention treestar Mar 2014 #59
Congratulations! delrem Mar 2014 #61
because the whines about lying, credibility, etc, are silly stupidicus Mar 2014 #35
Plenty of Snowden contradictions in your post. blm Mar 2014 #43
more silliness doesn't help your cause stupidicus Mar 2014 #47
LOL - whatever. You can fully trust Snowden's motives - I do not. blm Mar 2014 #48
thanks for conceding your silliness in the example cited stupidicus Mar 2014 #49
There are plenty of contradictions in all of Snowden's pronoucements.. he said Cha Mar 2014 #57
Keep in mind there would be no 'greater media scrutiny' to applaud without Snowden n/t whatchamacallit Mar 2014 #37
Which is exactly what I wrote in my post. Keep in mind everything else, too. There is ONE family blm Mar 2014 #44
Indeed. I keep waiting for Jebbie to quit being coy. Skidmore Mar 2014 #45
"the last few decades of BushInc" include 6 yrs of ObamaInc., 8 yrs of ClintonInc. delrem Mar 2014 #50
LOL - Apparently you never heard of Poppy Bush or his privatization of intel and blm Mar 2014 #69
So your message, complete with a "LOL" aimed at me, delrem Mar 2014 #71
I think you don't 'get' it at all. It would take you months to get through the full BCCI report blm Mar 2014 #72
You are saying NOTHING. Responding to NOTHING. Not even to defend your own OP. delrem Mar 2014 #73
I feel that if you can't wrap your brain around what was said, only focused research can help you blm Mar 2014 #78
Has NOTHING to back up your apologetics for Obama's impotence. delrem Mar 2014 #80
You are acting as apologist for the rampant lack of knowledge about the presidency and blm Mar 2014 #81
The BCCI report gives NO excuse for Obama, or any other president, to claim powerlessness delrem Mar 2014 #83
You're showing you're vastly under-informed. Get thee to National Security Archives, and.... blm Mar 2014 #85
You're showing that all you can do is throw shit at a wall, delrem Mar 2014 #86
I do - but when one is in an exchange with someone unrealistic about the presidency blm Mar 2014 #87
. delrem Mar 2014 #91
OK, that was a pleasant hiatus. delrem Mar 2014 #93
Bingo. nt ecstatic Mar 2014 #55
K & R for nuance. The NSA/CIA thing goes well beyond Obama BelgianMadCow Mar 2014 #63
People forget about NSA whistleblower Russ Tice. blm Mar 2014 #89
Sure, but which REALLY matters in the real world? Fearless Mar 2014 #64
The media's interest begins and ends with Snowden's usefulness as a Benghazi. ucrdem Mar 2014 #66
Excellent OP Bobbie Jo Mar 2014 #67
I could halfway buy that if the majority of the same people attacking Snowden Zorra Mar 2014 #75
k&r this from your post questionseverything Mar 2014 #101
great post fascisthunter Mar 2014 #102
I think the debate has been good for the country. leftyladyfrommo Mar 2014 #84
YUP ... you can be sure there are Bushies still JoePhilly Mar 2014 #99
I've been saying that from the beginning leftynyc Mar 2014 #100
You can do whatever you want PowerToThePeople Mar 2014 #110
K&R n/t bobthedrummer Mar 2014 #113
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