Topic: James R. Clapper

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Briefing NSA surveillance 101: What US intelligence agencies are doing, what they know

US intelligence agencies are gathering massive amounts of US telephone calling data and social media data on both foreigners and citizens. Here are seven questions and answers about what is known so far.

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Monitor Breakfast Sen. Carl Levin imagines NSA phone-tracking in hands of J. Edgar Hoover

The Michigan Democrat frames in vivid terms the potential for abuse of the NSA phone-surveillance program, invoking the memory of J. Edgar Hoover and his secret FBI files on public officials. But the program has pluses, too, says Sen. Carl Levin.
Focus In the end, NSA might not need to snoop so secretly

NSA data-collection programs have spawned support and criticism. But in an era when many Americans already know their personal information is being gathered, perhaps being more open about it would help, some say.
Want proof that NSA snooping thwarts terror plots? Stand by, senator says.

Efforts are afoot to declassify some examples of terrorist plots thwarted by controversial NSA surveillance programs, perhaps by next week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday after senators met with US intelligence officials.
Briefing NSA surveillance 101: What US intelligence agencies are doing, what they know

US intelligence agencies are gathering massive amounts of US telephone calling data and social media data on both foreigners and citizens. Here are seven questions and answers about what is known so far.
Google tries to debunk 'myths' of PRISM

Google asked the Obama administration to allow disclosure of details about the US government's demands for its metadata.
Internet spying: what firms' denials really mean

Internet spying claims prompts carefully worded denials from Google, Facebook, and others. The companies say they're not voluntarily handing over data to the government, but leave open the possibility that the government has used their data for massive Internet spying.
Edward Snowden: NSA leaker reveals himself, expects retribution

The Guardian newspaper Sunday revealed the principal source for its reports on NSA telephone and Internet intelligence gathering. Edward Snowden is a hero to some, while others see him as a highly damaging leaker of important secrets that could harm US national security.
Another NSA leaker? More expected to come on spying revelations

Columnist Glenn Greenwald, who broke the NSA spying story, expects there'll be more whistle blowers and more stories based on leaks. The government is treating that as criminal activity.
North Korea missile threat? North Korea 'closer' to nuclear threat, says Pentagon

North Korea missile threat: Intelligence agencies disagree on how great a missile threat North Korea poses, despite North Korea's recent threats against South Korea, Japan, and the US.
Is Obama's second term sunk? 'Maybe I should just pack up and go home.'

On the 100th day of his second term, President Obama laughed at the suggestion he may have run out of 'juice' for his agenda and expressed optimism on immigration reform.
Boston Marathon bombing: Did US really miss chance to prevent it? (+video)

A Republicans senator is blaming the White House for failing to heed red flags on Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. But others call that a rush to judgment.
Terrorism & Security North Korea nuclear missile capability: Do they have it or not?

The only declassified sentence in a Defense Intelligence report raised concern that North Korea might have the ability to miniaturize its nuclear weapons. Other defense agencies disagree.
Lawmaker drops bombshell: North Korea may have nuclear missiles

An unclassified Pentagon report not yet released to the public suggests that North Korea can arm missiles with nuclear warheads, a lawmaker revealed Thursday.
Top 3 threats to the United States: the good and bad news

The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is out this week, a widely-anticipated report compiled by the nation’s intelligence agencies. Here is the good and bad news about the top three threats facing the United States, according to an unclassified version of the report.
Opinion World powers must cut a deal with Iran before it's too late

Having hobbled Iran’s economy, the P5+1 believe they are negotiating from a position of power. But this attitude could be dangerously delusional and may backfire. A deal is needed to address the top concerns on both sides.
Surveillance law: US group can't challenge it, Supreme Court rules

A 2008 surveillance law allows the US government to detect and track the messages of would-be foreign terrorists. Critics say it is overly broad, but on Tuesday the Supreme Court blocked a challenge to it.
Can lessons from Iraq be applied to US-Iran tensions?

A declassified CIA report on Iraq says numerous intelligence lessons have been learned from the search for WMD. But the political dynamic around Iran's nuclear program is a different matter.
David Petraeus faces Congressional questions on Libya attack

The retired general is under investigation by the agency for possible wrongdoing in the affair, though that's not the subject of the closed-door hearings.
Petraeus scandal: Where will investigations take Congress?

As House and Senate intelligence leaders prepare to query top FBI and CIA officials on the Petraeus scandal, questions abound: Why did Obama not know sooner? Did the affair impact Libya? Was there a security breach?
Gen. John Allen: How top US commander got caught up in Petraeus scandal (+video)

Gen. John Allen, the top US commander in Afghanistan, is now the subject of an FBI investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with Jill Kelley, a married socialite in Florida. Gen. John Allen denies any wrongdoing.
Did US go too far in its secret surveillance of citizens?

Critics say the Bush-era law designed to collect foreign intelligence intrudes on the constitutionally protected privacy and free speech rights of US citizens. The US Supreme Court hears the case Monday.
Libya attack: Not a problem of intelligence (+video)

Questions linger about the way the Obama Administration presented intelligence information following a violent attack in Benghazi, Libya last month. It appears now that from very early in their investigation U.S. officials had information implicating organized militants.
Libya attack: GOP goes after the White House, especially Susan Rice

Questions about how the Obama administration has handled the attack in Libya that killed the US ambassador on Sept. 11 have taken a harder political edge. A prominent Republican says UN Ambassador Susan Rice should resign over faulty reporting of the attack.
Iran's nuclear program: 4 things you probably didn't know

Do the US and Israel believe that Iran has a nuclear weapons program? Did President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad really promise to "wipe Israel off the map"? The answers may surprise you.
Opinion By not lifting sanctions, West and Obama are helping Iran enrich uranium

The West just blew its latest chance to rein in Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Though Iran expressed willingness to compromise on key demands, by refusing to ease sanctions, the P5+1 nations offered no meaningful reciprocity, derailing the possibility of a deal with Tehran.