Intentionally or not, I think Snowden nails it here as far as why these mass surveillance programs exist:
"or are we trying to throw money at a magic solution..."
The key here being "throw money," not the search for a magic solution. Who stands on the receiving end of the money "thrown?" Identify them and you identify the source and purpose of these programs.
From YT: NBC CENSORS SNOWDEN'S CRITICAL 9/11 COMMENTS FROM PRIME TIME AUDIENCE ---- "They found that we had all of the information we needed as an intelligence community... to detect this plot" ------ Statements made by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden regarding the 9/11 terror attacks were edited out of his NBC Nightly News interview with Brian Williams Wednesday in what appears to be an attempt to bolster legitimacy for the agency's controversial surveillance programs.
Snowden's comments surrounding the failure of dragnet surveillance in stopping the 9/11 attacks were censored from the prime time broadcast and instead buried in an hour long clip on NBC's website. "You know this is a key question that the 9/11 commission considered, and what they found in the postmortem when they looked at all the classified intelligence from all the different intelligence agencies, they found that we had all of the information we needed as an intelligence community, as a classified sector, as the national defense of the United States, to detect this plot," Snowden said.
"We actually had records of the phone calls from the United States and out. The CIA knew who these guys were. The problem was not that we weren't collecting information, it wasn't that we didn't have enough dots, it wasn't that we didn't have a haystack, it was that we did not understand the haystack that we had."
NBC's decision to annex Snowden's comments are unsurprising given the fact that the 9/11 attacks are exhaustively used by the federal government as the prime justification for surveilling millions of innocent Americans. Snowden remarked on the government's prior knowledge of the accused Boston bombers as well, also cut from the prime time interview.
'If we're missing things like the Boston Marathon bombings where all of these mass-surveillance systems, every domestic dragnet in the world, didn't reveal guys that the Russian intelligence service told us about by name, is that really the best way to protect our country or are we trying to throw money at a magic solution that's actually not just costing us our safety, but our rights and our way of life," Snowden said.
Despite countless government officials pointing to 9/11 foreknowledge, whether missed or ignored, establishment media outlets have continually worked to keep such voices out of relevant reporting.
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siftbotEdward Snowden NBC News Full Interview has been added as a related post - related requested by Trancecoach on that post.
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TrancecoachIt will take millions more Snowdens to give freedom a fighting chance in an age of Leviathan State control, but it's also important for any lover of freedom to understand the manner in which Snowden went about his defiance. He acted peacefully, openly, with total dedication to principle. He took responsibility for speaking the truth, and he did it with a clean conscience.
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TrancecoachOne point Snowden missed the opportunity of making (or just made too poorly for it to be noticeable) is the one about the paradox implicit in the "surveillance which aims to protect our freedom" *becomes* "surveillance that strips us of our freedom."
chingaleraI'd suggest this true as the result of an insidious editing process which is well-honed over to the National Broadcasting Company, sieg heil. Not 13 years has passed and there's a fucking 'memorial' on the site that charges a $24 admission over a mass grave selling souvenirs and serving hamburgers.
"It was them tuurrrisst that demolished those buildings with airplanes, that's why the country is' a police state now (and forever)."
I'm surprised Mac Donald's doesn't have a goddamn twin-towers fries to go with your Freedom burger and Shanksville (pop. 245, no one will know) shake at that one...Sick, twisted, shit.
One point Snowden missed the opportunity of making (or just made too poorly for it to be noticeable) is the one about the paradox implicit in the "surveillance which aims to protect our freedom" *becomes* "surveillance that strips us of our freedom."
MilkmanDansays...I agree that what Snowden is saying here is important -- and I personally agree with the concept fully. BUT, that being said, I don't necessarily think that NBC is guilty of "censoring" him here as a result of some hidden nefarious agenda.
The whole interview posted here is 43 minutes long. I'd guess that it is has been trimmed of some comments from Greenwald and probably the other journalist that it was mentioned made the trip to Russia with NBC. Tack commercials on top of that and you have what I'd assume is a 1 hour show on TV.
I'm sure that NBC recorded *way* more interview footage than could be crammed into a single hour, and I'd wager that his comments here didn't make the cut not because of censorship or in an effort to alter the thrust of his message, but rather simply in an effort to fill the time allotment of the show with the most interesting and relevant content possible (as judged by NBC).
So, while I'd jump at a chance to legitimately criticize the media in general and NBC specifically here, I don't think that accusing them of censorship is particularly fair. On the other hand, I might disagree with NBC's choice to cut this particular content because I do find it very interesting and relevant personally... And that in turn makes me wonder what *other* interesting stuff didn't make the 1 hour cut!
Jinxsays...I don't know if that's really a point missed. This paradox that we give up certain freedoms to live in a free society isn't new or controversial imo. The discussion, and the thing Snowden seems to be addressing, is that of a simple cost benefit analysis. I'd wager that a proportion of Americans might, given the revelations on the NSA, still opt for them to continue or even increase their operations in the belief it might make them safer. If they are convinced that not only does this collection of data not offer them protection, but it also comes at great monetary expense, then they might reconsider.
One point Snowden missed the opportunity of making (or just made too poorly for it to be noticeable) is the one about the paradox implicit in the "surveillance which aims to protect our freedom" *becomes* "surveillance that strips us of our freedom."
newtboyIt's not really censorship if they put the full interview up for all to see, it's editing.
True enough, it's editing not just for time but for content apparently, seemingly to further an agenda and to obfuscate facts that don't further that agenda, and that's certainly NOT what a true news organization would do (I'm looking at you, Fox). They should be called out on it...but properly, for bad edditing. Censorship to me would be if they stripped that from the online 'full' interview and pretended he didn't say it.
TrancecoachNo one says that it's new or controversial. I said that he missed making the point.
The fact is that, in a "democracy," this type of thing is purportedly up to "the people," and subject to "majority" "vote." That is clearly not the case and, regardless, would not be adhered to regardless of who's "in charge."
I don't know if that's really a point missed. This paradox that we give up certain freedoms to live in a free society isn't new or controversial imo. The discussion, and the thing Snowden seems to be addressing, is that of a simple cost benefit analysis. I'd wager that a proportion of Americans might, given the revelations on the NSA, still opt for them to continue or even increase their operations in the belief it might make them safer. If they are convinced that not only does this collection of data not offer them protection, but it also comes at great monetary expense, then they might reconsider.
9547bisIt's funny, each time Snowden opens his mouth, he completely destroys the US administration's attempts at portraying him as a brazen irresponsible punk. His responses are always thoughtful and articulate. You may contend that he has a lot of time to come up with his soundbites, but then so do many top politicians, and they still sound like idiots.
direpickleI don't know. I don't think this is censorship. I think it was just edited out for time, because this really doesn't present any new information. As he said, he's just quoting the 9/11 report. We already know that we had all of the information necessary. Everyone knows. It was widely, widely reported.
bobknight33Snowden for VP
chingaleraThe putties have it. There is no agenda. Only semantic prostitution disguised as intelligent argument. Intelligence fucking itself. Go back to sleep. Work hard at your jobs. Cast a vote in another election, discuss....repeat.
Blather
Wince
Repeat
dannym3141That's because he's right. It's always easier to convince an audience of something that's provably true. The politicians have to find a way to convince people or misdirect people whilst being blatantly wrong and they're exceptionally good at it, but you can't trump being flat out correct. Boston bombing highlights his point - it isn't working any better than the old way and it is impacting on our way of life which literally means that the 'turrists' won; they forced our countries to change our ways through fear.
It's funny, each time Snowden opens his mouth, he completely destroys the US administration's attempts at portraying him as a brazen irresponsible punk. His responses are always thoughtful and articulate. You may contend that he has a lot of time to come up with his soundbites, but then so do many top politicians, and they still sound like idiots.
KrupoHeadlines are a key source of *lies and truthiness
Jokes aside, calling out the paradox is a good job by Snowy.
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