Dick Cheney: Rand Paul is wrong on government surveillance

Former vice president Dick Cheney said Sunday that Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was wrong to suggest that the government’s recently revealed sweeping surveillance techniques are an invasion of Americans’ privacy.

“Two-thirds of the Congress wasn’t here on 9/11, or for that period immediately after when we got into this program,” Cheney said on “Fox News Sunday.” He later added: “When you consider the possibility of somebody smuggling something like a nuclear device into the United States, it becomes very, very important to gather intelligence on your enemies and stop that attack before it ever gets launched.”

Cheney defended a National Security Agency program to collect phone records from millions of Americans, about which Paul has expressed deep concerns. The Kentucky senator announced last week that he has taken steps toward bringing legal action against the government over its surveillance efforts.

“What information [was collected]?” asked Cheney. “And the answer is phone numbers and who contacted who. But we don’t have any names associated with it. It’s just a big bag of numbers that’s been collected.”

Cheney called Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who disclosed information about telephone and Internet surveillance programs, a “traitor” whom he believes has “committed crimes.” The former vice president said Snowden’s decision to flee to Hong Kong raises questions about his ties to China. Cheney also said he is concerned that Snowden may have received help from within the NSA.

I believe that this was in response to:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rand-paul-bla...e-911-failures/

Instead of securing our borders and giving those is charge of immigration the tools needed for accurate and timely assessments, Bush established the Orwellian DHS signing EO # 13228 on October 8, 2001, less than one month after 9-11.

Securing our borders was rejected in favor of unimpeded movement of goods and natural persons. National security took second place to the wants of global crony corporate and finance.

If Cheney were still in charge ...I would have no problem with the government surveillance program.

But, he is not and I don't trust for one moment the Lying POS in Charge.

Drudge has up Move over NSA, here comes the Obamacare Big Brother database
- See more at: http://rare.us/story/move-over-nsa-here-...h.UCvPNyil.dpuf

Quote: W-Girl wrote in post #3

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If Cheney were still in charge ...I would have no problem with the government surveillance program.

But, he is not and I don't trust for one moment the Lying POS in Charge.

Drudge has up Move over NSA, here comes the Obamacare Big Brother database
- See more at: http://rare.us/story/move-over-nsa-here-...h.UCvPNyil.dpuf

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