karn wrote:Who is? And how would they know?

jerseyhoya wrote:

Wizlah wrote:Pac, you worry about fisa oversight of spying on americans, but don't give a fuck abiut the same approach being extended to me. Cheers. I'll be sure to treat you with equal respect in the future.

There should be different rules about NSA spying on US citizens/residents and foreigners. I mean really.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

SK790 wrote:

Luzinski's Gut wrote:This may or may not be interesting to you, but I've been working with a senior meteorologist at the Weather Channel over the last two weeks. He's done some very innovative and groundbreaking work on climate change...and the four star general I work directly for is very interested in the impacts of climate change.

It's actually one of the coolest projects I'm in charge of right now.

The Nightman Cometh wrote:Good to read that people are too stupid to understand that climate change has more implications than rising temperatures.

Seems odd that you would be working with someone from TWC rather than NOAA. I don't doubt you, it's just odd that TWC has a climate expert that well regarded and that you wouldn't use someone from another government agency.

Bucky wrote:it doesn't look like a random expert solicitation, but rather something targeted because of this dude's specific research.

pacino wrote:there is a difference between spying on a nation and breaking international law. there just is. and yes, i do make the distinction between domestic and foreign when discussing the NSA since the entire purpose of the NSA is foreign intelligence gathering. there is literally no other reason it is to exist.

what I'm doing is self-interested: I don't want to live in a world where there's no privacy and therefore no room for intellectual exploration and creativity

US Secretary of State John Kerry said again that the Syrian government had crossed a line in using chemical weapons
The rebels say they have begun a new offensive in the northern city Aleppo But he insisted that the decision to provide military support to the rebels was "not to seek a military solution" but to give the rebels more power in negotiating an end to the conflict.Mr Kerry said the group was still pushing for a peace conference in Geneva between the two opposing sides in Syria.

But he said Mr Assad had responded to the calls for a conference by bringing in Iranian and Hezbollah fighters to confront the rebels.

"That is a very, very dangerous development,'' he said. "Hezbollah is a proxy for Iran... Hezbollah in addition to that is a terrorist organisation."

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "We have been talking about how we can help the opposition, how we can help save lives. Different countries will have different ways of doing that.

jerseyhoya wrote:

pacino wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:Preach, pacino

Though you're wrong about the Scott Walker thing. It's not a regular government job; it's an appointment to a Board of Regents spot. If he doesn't want to reward someone who signed a petition to have him recalled with that, good for him.

the thing is, these appointments are not rewards; they are basically standard appointments based on mostly merit. he only rescinded the nomination after he found out the guy signed a paper. nothing else changed. it's the epitome of petty.

To some extent these entities are autonomous and make decisions that affect policy. You would prefer them to contain people who support your vision for how the state and the state's educational system should be run rather than containing people who think you should be booted out of office just as your term is starting because you made some tough calls trying to get the state's finances on track.

jerseyhoya wrote:I should say, before it comes clear what the outcome will be, if the Obama administration manages to get Snowden back home to stand trial, I'll be impressed, and him and Kerry and the rest will deserve a lot of credit. Tough situation for them to be in.

thephan wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:I should say, before it comes clear what the outcome will be, if the Obama administration manages to get Snowden back home to stand trial, I'll be impressed, and him and Kerry and the rest will deserve a lot of credit. Tough situation for them to be in.

No need to get him back. Think of the scenarios.

1) its a long drive from Havana, but Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is in Cuba. Just pick him up at the airport...

2) Let the guy in a very fragile situation go to Ecuador where he can hole up as a guest of the current party in power. Things happen in South America especially to people who have some wealth and power. So he goes to Ecuador where he is used like a poker chip by either the government or kidnappers.

Reasonably Iceland is where he wants to end up if he can pull it off. The Chinese already gave up dealing with his mess and helped him along. The Russians, although enjoying a little Cold War eye poking, are keeping him in transit at the airport so he has not technically been on Russian soil. Options are rather thin and he will live out life waiting for another shoe to fall.

pacino wrote:i guess i just dont see how it is appropriate for Snowden to give this info to foreign nations who we have tenuous relationships with. how does that help anything when trying to do with things through diplomatic means?

Luzinski's Gut wrote:That's exactly right.

Part of my job is looking for experts within specific fields who have different approaches and perspectives to issues that affect the military, getting them into meeting with high level planners and designers, and then getting them in front of the senior leadership.

An issue as emotionally and politically charged as climate change requires some serious vetting - my reputation is always on the line, and if I bring some crackpot in who can't back up his claims or is just a wackjob, then it crushes my credibility. So I have to do a lot of due diligance on people who might be worth bringing into the fold.

Bucky wrote:it doesn't look like a random expert solicitation, but rather something targeted because of this dude's specific research.

Phan In Phlorida wrote:

karn wrote:Who is? And how would they know?

1) The CIA.
2) It's the CIA.

Technically, two "Western intellegence agencies". They claim to have intel that the Chinese copied the highly classified material and suspect Russia is doing the same (the latter being their logical assumption with no confirmation/intel yet). They also know exactly what he smuggled out of the Hawaii facility and how he circumvented the unauthorized access monitoring at the facility.

thephan wrote:He is messing up his "whistle blower" status by providing information. We have to assume he is tapped out both to Russia and China at this point. He is in violation of his signed agreement with the USG where he recognizes his obligations and punishments for disclosure. The only thing it does is firmly place him into a dissident refugee status as he cannot return to the US due to his actions without being arrested. I guess the whistle blower angle is off the table as this is a new path.