Bush orders NSA to snoop on US agencies

[kpete]

Bush orders NSA to snoop on US agencies
Cyber attack fear used to expand spy grid
By Ashlee Vance in Mountain View → More by this author
Published Sunday 27th January 2008 21:25 GMT

Not content with spying on other countries, the NSA (National Security Agency) will now turn on the US's own government agencies thanks to a fresh directive from president George Bush.

Under the new guidelines, the NSA and other intelligence agencies can bore into the internet networks of all their peers. The Bush administration pulled off this spy expansion by pointing to an increase in the number of cyber attacks directed against the US, possibly from foreign nations. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will spearhead the effort around identifying the source of these attacks, while the Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon will concentrate on retaliation.

The Washington Post appears to have broken the news about the new Bush-led joint directive, which remains classified. The paper reported that the directive - National Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23 - was signed on Jan. 8. Earlier reports from the Baltimore Sun documented the NSA's plans to add US spying to its international snooping duties.

The new program will - of course - drains billions of dollars out of US coffers and be part of Bush's 2009 budget.

more at:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/27/bush_nsa_internal/

[alfredo]

1. Spying on US citizens is against the NSA charter.

[Hydra]

9. Someone should have told them that back after WWII

They've gotten used to playing in our stuff. We ask them for theirs, though, and they get all hot under the collar. Such Mr. No-shares!

[alfredo]

12. You need to pick up "Body of Secrets." It's the history of the NSA.

USASA 65 to 69.

[Hydra]

13. Is it the official version or the true one?

I count this mess as being even older than what I mentioned, but 60+ years of BS is certainly more than enough.

[alfredo]

16. James Bamford is a credible writer. I can vouch for some of what

he writes about. The same goes for "Imperial Hubris" by Anonymous.

[Hydra]

17. That's good to know

but part of what I was asking is how deep it goes. I do know about some of the shallow to mid-level "abuses." I wouldn't mind reading about the deeper ones, but I've heard that's a good way to end up in a shallow grave :evilgrin:

[alfredo]

18. The first book will give history, and the next will give you chills.

One other book "Jawbreaker" Gary Berntsen will show you another facet. Together it will give you a good picture. As I said, the first will give you the NSA history, the second how the government went wrong with the "war on terror." The third gives an on the ground example of how the present administration fucks up royally.

John Dean's "Conservatives Without Conscience" will give you insight into why they are spying on us.


Taken together "Body of Secrets" "Imperial Hubris" "Jawbreaker", and "Conservatives Without Conscience" will give you the insight but not the fine details. Let's say it will give circumstantial evidence.

It is safe to assume that you could be under surveillance. All this means is that you should be discreet in some personal matters, especially if you are politically active. That goes even if you are not being watched. They are watching and hiding because they don't trust us, don't respect us, and maybe they fear us.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. In other news Bush sets up another agency to spy on the NSA

Good grief and the senate is voting on the FISA bill today.

[lonestarnot]

3. So is Nancy in on this one too? And how bout that dirty Harry?

[wildbilln864]

4. Yep! n/t

:hi:

[originalpckelly]

5. So that way they can make sure no one in the government talks again.

I wonder how quickly leaks will dry up, if government agencies are being spied on?

This is incredibly scary.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Wow, a 20-year-old novel of mine is (sort of) coming true

The book is Budspy. It's an alternate-history novel, set in a world in which the Nazis didn't lose WWII and are the world's greatest power. What's relevant here is that in the novel the US government has an agency called the Ombudsman Commission which puts undercover agents in various other government agencies to uncover wrongdoing.

Why, we're just one step away, and it didn't even require Nazi Germany to persist.

[tom_paine]

7. The Bushies are snooping to see if anyone honest is left.

If honest people are discovered, they will be summarily dismissed and charged, if possible.

There is no worse trangression against the Bushies that a person can do as be honest or have loyalty to the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

I never thought I could one day say something like that and it be true. This is truly an Orwellian nightmare we are living in.

Welcome to the Third World.

[moondust]

8. American KGB.

And they talk about Putin going in the wrong direction...

[Deja Q]

10. No argument here.

Will US corporations be given the eyeball too?

[Kansas Wyatt]

11. Of course... He's paranoid that his crimes WON'T stay covered-up

He's a little chicken-shit that knows he screwed over and pissed off a lot of people, and he doesn't want someone, who isn't on 'His Team' to start poking their noses under the rug.

[bdamomma]

14. he is that A COWARD.

a very sick one who has many mental disorders.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. WaPo link that this references:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/25/AR2008012503261_pf.html

[jmowreader]

19. This could REALLY get fun...

Nothing here says the Agency couldn't decide to start spying on the White House.

You know, just to let Little Boots know there's a reason NSA isn't allowed to spy on Americans.

Tell me, do they make tin cups with presidential seals on them?

[lostnfound]

20. Who will snoop on the snoops? Do we need a new agency for that? nt