| Cover
LIBERTY AND SECURITY
IN A CHANGING WORLD
12 December 2013
Report and Recommendations of
The President’s Review Group on Intelligence
and Communications Technologies |
"Liberty and Security" juxtaposes a formulaic which begs the question
of why these two goals are forever in conflict and unresolved by failed promises
of resolution.
"Changing World" another formulaic which excuses failure to explain why
technological change cannot be matched by policy, oversight and public trust.
|
|
| Pages 1-2
Transmittal Letter
Dear Mr. President:
We are honored to present you with the Final Report of the Review Group on
Intelligence and Communications Technologies. Consistent with your memorandum
of August 27, 2013, our recommendations are designed to protect our national
security and advance our foreign policy while also respecting our longstanding
commitment to privacy and civil liberties, recognizing our need to maintain
the public trust (including the trust of our friends and allies abroad),
and reducing the risk of unauthorized disclosures. |
Vacuous blather long-deployed when spies and overseers violate public
trust.
Exhibits characteristics of study panels set up to defuse a political crisis
by framing as empty generalities. |
|
| We have emphasized the need to develop principles designed to create
strong foundations for the future. Although we have explored past and current
practices, and while that exploration has informed our recommendations, this
Report should not be taken as a general review of, or as an attempt to provide
a detailed assessment of, those practices. Nor have we generally engaged
budgetary questions (although some of our recommendations would have budgetary
implications). |
Vacuous generalities. |
|
| We recognize that our forty-six recommendations, developed over a relatively
short period of time, will require careful assessment by a wide range of
relevant officials, with close reference to the likely consequences. Our
goal has been to establish broad understandings and principles that can provide
helpful orientation during the coming months, years, and decades. |
Indication that the recommendations are not likely to survive careful
assessment but are issued for political persuasion.
"Months, years and decades" means stonewall until pubic interest wanes. |
|
| We are hopeful that this Final Report might prove helpful to you, to
Congress, to the American people, and to leaders and citizens of diverse
nations during continuing explorations of these important questions. |
Vacuous sound bite. |
|
Richard A. Clarke
Michael J. Morell
Geoffrey R. Stone
Cass R. Sunstein
Peter Swire |
None of the authors are expert in the technologies used by NSA, its
contractors and suppliers.
This deficiency has allowed the President, Congress, overseers, Department
of Justice and the FISA court to be misled, or claim to have been misled,
and to expulpate spy programs overseers, since spy agencies were founded.
Policy and legal reforms have repeatedly failed because of evasive review
and analysis, pointing to classified informtion not available for open
examination. With apologias for mistakes and promises of compliance issued
as cover for secret continuation of ostensibly banned practices.
Consultation with experts listed in the report is used to evade responsibility
for the abuse of technology under venerable "classified protection of means
and methods." To wit, to turn blind eyes to the technology and allow its
use to continue: the false resolution of this report on "liberty and security." |
|
|
|
|
