Comments on: NSA Accidentally Listened to Domestic Calls

By: Yeff

Yeff — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 00:03:21 +0000

Boyd wrote,

And that was exactly the case when I worked for NSA and we inadvertently collected communications we shouldnât have.

Precisely right, Jonk.

I wss a SIGINT analyst with the USAF and I can confirm what Boyd says. We took inadvertant intercept of US citizens rather seriously.

By: Bithead

Bithead — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 17:29:51 +0000

In any event, people;

These are logistical issues, not legalistic.
Once again, the question becomes, how much do we invest in keeping the Demorats and their newfound 'civil libertarian' mask, happy?

Seems to me in wartime, which we are deciedly living in, the information gathered is utimately of greater import than the opposition party's being able to get a 'dig' in.

By: Boyd

Boyd — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 17:16:10 +0000

As long as the errors are made in good faith and the data destroyed upon discovery of the error, no harm, no foul.

And that was exactly the case when I worked for NSA and we inadvertently collected communications we shouldn't have.

Precisely right, Jonk.

By: Jonk

Jonk — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 16:51:40 +0000

As long as the errors are made in good faith and the data destroyed upon discovery of the error, no harm, no foul.

It happens in everyday life. How many faxes have you gotten at your home or office with personal info that you should not have access to? What do you do? Shred and throw away. There is nothing nefarious in this story.

I just hope the more deliberate obfuscation of these intelligence story issues will stop...but I am not counting on it.

By: Rodney Dill

Rodney Dill — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:51:29 +0000

The GPS angle at best only applies to the "known" side of the call. Also if the GPS is working in the US, why wiretap at all, just go pick the target up.

By: legion

legion — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:31:25 +0000

I'm no telco guy, but I was under the impression that there has been enormous pressure on cell phone companies to put geolocation functions into their systems for 911 usage. Was that capability used to try & cut the 'risk level' in these taps?

By: M. Murcek

M. Murcek — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:28:53 +0000

Of course, when it suits the left's purposes, there's no such thing as an "honest" mistake. Perfection is the only standard they'll accept. Unless it's someone like, say, Bill Clinton making the mistake. Then it's OK. Because "that's different..."

By: Rodney Dill

Rodney Dill — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:22:17 +0000

Inadvertantly making international calls is problematic for me working here in Dearborn, MI.
I'm close enough to Canada that If I leave my cell phone on "Roam" I might connect via a Canadian cell tower and then be calling back to the US and incurring huge, (as opposed to already included) charges.