Anthonyn Cordesman on Edward Snowden

Anthony Cordesman is a fine audio reviewer and a knowlegable foreign policy expert. Snowden has set us back so badly with his disclosures that it cannot be calculated. I consider myself to be a fairly liberal thinker and one who treasures the right of privacy that our justices have found in the Constitution. But I, like many, have no problem with our government obtaining massive amounts of meta data so that, when needed, it can be accessed to connect the dots of terrorist aspirants. I mean, isn't the defense of the country through use of available digital data a no brainer in modern society?
Snowden is a grandstanding joker who should be brought to justice and jailed.

Do you people that support the government illegally mining your private conversations and information remember J Edgar Hoover? McCarthy? What governments have done under the paradigm of "the greater good" has been pretty scary in the past.
Jingoism is a slippery slope.

Regardless of the motives or character of Snowden he has done the public a great service. In order for the nation to function as a democracy the citizenship must be informed of what the government and other power centers are doing.

Traditionally law enforcement would only investigate someone if there was reasonable suspicion or knowledge that a person was engaged in illegal activity. That is no longer the case and it represents a fundamental change in law enforcement strategy. Now simply having your picture taken for a state issued drivers license puts you into a facial recognition searchable database used by law enforcement for whatever purpose they deem appropriate.

Technology and tactics have made it easier for law enforcement to detect criminal activity and that may well further the common defence and promote the general welfare, but in that same sentence the Constitution also
specifies that the role of government is to secure liberty to ourselves and our offspring. If you take away liberty are you really promoting the general welfare? It's a question well worth a public discussion.

Remember, a policeman's job is only easy in a police state.

Folks, as an attorney, I am somewhat familiar with the US Constitution, particularly the 4th Amendment. It pains me greatly that our country has found it necessary to resort to the intrusive actions that it has taken.

But, in times of war and national emergency, there is precedent for extreme actions. For example, Abraham Lincoln suspended many constitutional protections such as habeus corpus during the Civil War. I'm sure most recall some of the actions, and admittedly excesses, that occurred during WWII.

Now let's balance all of that with current events. Like it or not, our country is the target of fanatical religious anarchists who HAVE caused us great harm on a massive level. Do I have to remind anyone about 9/11 or the recent Boston bombings.

I suggest that you rent a somewhat dated movie called "The Peacemakers," starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman. Watch the movie and please come back with comments about whether the government has exceeded reasonable bounds of intrusive activity.

G-d Bless America and Happy July 4th.

Jond, Zenblaster and Onhwy61, you guys got it right.