The KGB Would Have Been Delighted By the NSA’s Toys

[marmar]

from truthdig:



The KGB Would Have Been Delighted By the NSA’s Toys

Posted on Nov 30, 2012
By Thomas Hedges, Center for Study of Responsive Law


The trial of former CIA agent and whistleblower John Kiriakou has prompted many Americans to strongly criticize the Obama administration and its lack of oversight of U.S. intelligence agencies. Kiriakou, who uncovered the torture program that was started under President Bush and continued under President Obama, will face 30 months in jail and lose his government pension. Since his trial began in April, whistleblowers such as Kirk Wiebe and William Binney, both of whom worked at the National Security Agency and then left because of mismanagement and corruption, have warned that intelligence agencies are abusing the Constitution and lavishing private companies with expensive contracts in exchange for sub par data processing and analysis systems.

Kiriakou, Wiebe and Binney, who were presented with the Joe A. Callaway Awards for Civic Courage two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., said that the intelligence community cares more about protecting itself and its interests than those of the public.

The NSA, for example, has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars over the past ten years according to Wiebe, Binney and several other former NSA employees who have blown the whistle on the agency’s financial mismanagement. Spending at the NSA, they said, increased significantly after the 9/11 attacks without much regulation. The agency used the period of fear after the attacks, these whistleblowers said, to inflate its budget and arrange high profits for corporate friends. The waste, they charged, hampered significant programs and bloated inefficient ones.

The agency wants “to fix big things with big dollars and big business,” Kirk Wiebe said over the phone. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_kgb_would_have_been_delighted_by_the_nsas_toys_20121130/

[ROBROX]

1. PORK IS PORK FOR EVIL PEOPLE

I spent 34 year as a public employee and there were both good and bad people. Personally I know that we as a country could be much farther in many things if there was not so much WASTE with public funds. Our space program funds have been wasted on WARS. Our public improvement funds have been wasted on NSA, CIA, etc secret intelligent safaris.

One day the minority will be the majority and the was will stop and the progress made to civilization through projects to improve this world and people will be GREAT.

[kenny blankenship]

2. Indeed, STASI could only dream about what "we" do.

[lastlib]

3. The K-G-*W*-B is thrilled to have them!

KGWB--aka "Department of Homeland Security."

When B*sh was trying to create this monstrosity, I was trying to think what we should call it. With it's intrusions on ordinary Americans' civil liberties, it reminded me of the Soviet KGB, and with GWB's oily fingerprints all over it, it only seemed natural to call it the "KGWB". And besides, Tom Ridge just LOOKED like a Commissar--without all the battle ribbons.

Chilling, in more ways than one. America, where have you gone with your fear?

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