The NSA surveillance revelations of 2013 has been one of the most controversial issues of our day? Was it to protect our nation from terrorism? Or was it a violation of civil rights and liberties (those who follow me regularly know where I stand). Let’s see where a review board stand.
Before you ask, this review board, called Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), is an independent board, not sponsored by any political party or organization, corporation. etc. In the wake of President Obama’s speech calling for phone records to be thrown out, this board says there’s no basis to support the NSA’s spying on our smartphones and computers. Their report says there is no instance the NSA’s phone data program has or will stop terrorism. There are some who say the program stopped a potential 2009 terror attack, in which terrorist plotted to bomb New York City’s transit system, but the PCLOB rejects this. They concluded the program raises ‘constitutional concerns’ and the phone data program should no longer exist.
Wow, this is powerful! This board wasn’t pulled from the street. This board includes federal judges and members of the George W. Bush, Clinton and Carter administrations. I’m sure this report will be debated over and over. I’m sure they are people on the other side of the debate whose credentials are just as great. But so does the PCLOB. Does this not give the civil libertarian argument at least a little credibility?