NSA Bids to Expand Power Domestically to Track Chinese (!?) Terrorists
While all sane people are trying to rein in NSA's authority, the Gang of Four plans to use today's parade of liars to expand NSA's authority.
In explaining the need for this expanded authority, Dianne Feinstein and Mike Rogers claimed to…
Syrian Moderate Coalition Fractures -- Is al Nusra the Next MEK?
The US grand strategy of arming moderate groups within Syria's opposition in the ongoing civil war (remember, we only arm folks so moderate that they eat enemies' hearts) took a huge blow yesterday, as several groups previously aligned with…
The America's Cup Comes Home
[EW: Rosalind stole the keys! Awesome!!! Uh. Ut oh.]
Looks like Mom and Dad have been so consumed with all-things NSA they went and left the keys to the joint right out in the open. I better write fast.
8-1.
One week ago the America’s…
Why Isn't the NSA Evaluating Why It Didn't Have Chechen Intelligence on Tamerlan Tsarnaev?
As I noted last week, four Inspectors General are conducting (an indefinitely delayed) review of their Agencies' handing of intelligence in advance of the Boston Marathon attack. But just four Agencies are involved:
Intelligence Community
CIA
DOJ
DHS
That…
Senate Intelligence Committee Open Hearings: A Platform for Liars
Pentagon Papers era NYT Counsel James Goodale has a piece in the Guardian attracting a lot of attention. In it, he says the first step to reform NSA is to fire the liars.
The NSA has lied to the Congress, the courts, and perhaps even to the…
Massive Earthquake in Balochistan Kills Hundreds, Creates Temporary Island
An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale hit southwest Pakistan yesterday. The Balochistan province where the quake struck is isolated and has been plagued by sectarian violence as well as clashes between government forces and local…
1,186 Days into IG Report Covering Dragnet, Leahy Calls for Another
As I've been tracking, DOJ's Inspector General Office -- now led by Michael Horowitz -- has been working on a report on the use of Section 215 and Pen Register/Trap and Trace authorities up through 2009 for 1,186 days, well over 3 years. We…
Question: What Do David Barron and Jay Bybee Have in Common?
Answer: They were both nominated for a lifetime appellate court seat even as the Executive continued hiding their controversial OLC opinions.
Several hours ago, Barack Obama nominated David Barron, author of the notorious OLC memos authorizing…
Speaking at UN, Obama Tries to Claim He Was Always For Diplomacy in Syria
I had seen several indications this morning that Obama planned to call for a diplomatic approach to the ongoing conflict in Syria despite the earlier indications that he intended to pursue a military strike even if the UK did not join and the…
Further Implications of UndieBomb II Leaker Guilty Plea
As you have likely heard by now, a former FBI agent has agreed to plead guilty to leaking material about the second underwear bomb attempt to reporters in May of 2012. Charlie Savage of the New York Times has the primary rundown:
A former…
Say Hello To Our New Friends At Just Security
We do a lot of things here at Emptywheel including occasionally, goofing off. But our primary focus has always been the intersection of security issues, law and politics. I think I can speak for Marcy and Jim, and I certainly do for myself,…
Afghanistan: New Green on Blue, Green on Green and a Politicized Memorial Service
With so much attention focused on Syria, it is important that we don't lose sight of just how badly the situation in Afghanistan is limping toward a final resolution. There is a report ToloNews website this morning on a memorial service that…
Mike Rogers Continues to Thwart Fully Informed Representative Government
Garance Franke-Ruta transcribes Justin Amash telling a remarkable story about another Mike Rogers' attempt, back in August, to prevent elected representatives of American citizens from learning about details of the dragnet. After multiple tries,…
Start of Fall Trash Talk
The summer is in its last throes and fall is officially here on Sunday. And with football season hitting its stride, it really does seem like fall. Let's see what we have going on with teh student athletes this week.
A lot of Wheelhouse denizens…
The Girlfriend Detention Method of Coercion
Remember Ibragim Todashev, the friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev the FBI shot with pathetically inconsistent explanation?
A woman claiming to be his live-in girlfriend, Tatiana Gruzdeva, of the time has spoken to the press for the first time.…
NSA Caught Illegally Spying on Americans and Keith Alexander's Answer Is a Group Hug
Kevin Gosztola had a superb post yesterday on a letter NSA Deputy Director John Inglis and DIRNSA Keith Alexander sent to family members of NSA employees to make them feel better about the dragnet. It's a two page letter attempting to convince…
Further Questions Arise on Ghouta Attack
There has been quite a rush to assign blame to the Syrian government for the August 21 chemical weapons attack in the Ghouta area of greater Damascus. Perhaps more than any other piece of evidence, the fact that the two rocket trajectories the…
In Wake of Revelations about Corruption and Coercion, OCC Wails about Bank Cybersecurity
Over 3 months ago, the Guardian revealed that the President reserved the right to declare "inherent right of self defense" to access private networks deemed part of our critical infrastructure in the name of cybersecurity.
2 weeks ago, the…
DOJ Refuses to Explain How Executive Gets Away with Serial Lies to the FISA Court
USA Today's Brad Heath asked DOJ a very good question: why haven't the Executive Branch's serial lies to the FISA Court ever been referred to Office of Professional Responsibility?
I’ve talked to a former OPR attorney who says the office
would…
Ben Wittes, Brookings Buck Naked
Ben Wittes tries to respond to my complaints that he continues to insist all of Congress had a way of knowing about the Section 215 dragnet program and its abuses -- THEY ARE NAKED, Wittes proclaims over and over while accusing me of spewing…