"Michael Hayden, the former head of the NSA and the CIA, is the official mouthpiece of the American surveillance state. His blithe, unquestioning acceptance of the idea that privacy is a foolish notion is horrifying. And for that, he is valuable...
He is the living embodiment of the belief that surveillance is its own justification—that appeals for privacy on the basis of morality or ethics are ridiculous. He represents the philosophy of the primacy of the surveillance state: The democratically elected government exists to serve the spies, not the other way around. "...
"Hayden: "And so the president is clearly committed to a "rebalancing." He has teed this up by reminding audiences that "just because we can do something doesn't mean we should do it," and the coming report from his "outside experts" panel, due by year's end, will give him recommendations (and political cover) for making some moves.
Fair enough. I had my share of "political guidance" while at the NSA, too. It's not new.
But the administration needs to be careful not to overachieve."
It takes little imagination to hear the choked tone of mockery in Michael Hayden's voice as he says these words. "Rebalancing." "Outside experts." "Political guidance." He is celebrating Halloween with ample scarequotes. Thank god unelected spymaster and loud Acela talker Michael Hayden is here to remind the president not to try to "overachieve" when it comes to reining in a surveillance apparatus that quite literally has awarded itself the ability to tap into all the world's communication. That could be dangerous."
http://gawker.com/michael-hayden-the-voice-of-terror-1456034788
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