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China Responds: "Expiration Of The Patriot Act Is Not The End Of Washington's Intrusive Spying"

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Writing in the Politburo-owned mouthpiece The Global Times, China responds to the 'expiry' of The Patriot Act...

Expiry of Patriot Act is not end of Washington’s intrusive spying

Some provisions of the USA Patriot Act, the foundation of the massive US foreign and domestic wiretapping program and other controversial intelligence-collection operations, are set to expire on June 1, if they are not renewed. Although the House passed the renewed bill, the Senate failed to do so on May 23, leaving those controversial provisions with a pressing deadline for expiration. Without them, some intelligence operations currently carried out by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other intelligence agencies will be illegal. It seems to be a big deal for the US intelligence community and all those affected.

After 9/11, the post-traumatic urge pushed forward the most profound intelligence reforms in decades, and as a result, intelligence budgets were raised, intelligence organizations and structures aligned, and laws enacted. The USA Patriot Act has generated a great deal of controversy since its enactment. Supporters defend it by saying that the act provides a legal basis for many effective intelligence operations against terrorists. Opponents argue that the act violates fundamental constitutional principles, for it allows investigators obtain "any tangible things (including books, records, papers, documents and other items)," as long as the records are sought "in connection" with a terror investigation, which may put citizens' privacy in jeopardy.

The question is, it has been more than a decade after the first enactment of the Patriot Act, and it has undergone several extensions, why block it now?

First, after the extensive expansion in the first several years post 9/11, people started to wonder about the real effectiveness of the US intelligence reform. The annual published intelligence budget of US was over $50 billion for many years and that amount was larger than most countries' total defense budgets.

But the results were neither conclusive nor transparent, stirring public doubts. In as early as 2009, the National Intelligence Strategy of the US implied that the golden time for intelligence expansion may have passed, and they need to adjust to an era of austerity. Now it seems that legislators would like to move a step further, holding them more accountable, and putting a short leash on them.

Second, in recent years, US intelligence operations have faced many accusations. With sources such as WikiLeaks, and especially Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor, leaking a lot US wiretapping stories to the public, the fear of the US intelligence community becoming a "rogue elephant" is on the rise, and calls for stronger intelligence oversight have strengthened. Some of the US foreign partners or even allies are subject to US surveillance, which they expressed anger about, and the trust between them has been seriously undermined.

US domestic public opinion was also affected. When phones are tapped, and personal information is no longer personal, people's nerves get stirred. US intelligence has often had a negative image at home, the most infamous incident being the Watergate scandal, in which then president Richard Nixon used multiple intelligence services to illegally spy on his political adversaries and was impeached as a result.

US authorities need to take serious actions to show some sincerity, and to prove that they are not bad guys. Perhaps letting one of the most controversial intelligence-related acts expire is an acceptable solution.

It is only one more year from the next US presidential election. Rand Paul, a presidential candidate playing a role in blocking the act from extension, may win the favor of the US public since the act is already a notorious one.

Nevertheless, the Patriot Act is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many laws, regulations and policies that make sure the US intelligence community functions well enough to achieve its own purposes. Even if the act really expires after June 1, the US foreign intelligence operations will remain intact. Its assets are still out there, and its guiding principles remain the same. In that case, we may expect to hear more tales of US spying in the future.

 

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Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:22 | 6153530 koaj
koaj's picture

Imagine China starts contributing to a RandPAC to undermine US spying? interesting...

edit - i know foreigners cannot legally contrbute to a us race

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:25 | 6153541 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

He needs a charitable trust ,stat, then its not bribery,so says Shrillary.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:28 | 6153550 johngaltfla
johngaltfla's picture

Despite the rule of law, bureaucrats and snoops will continue to violate our Constitutional rights until the Legislative branch puts some teeth into the law; aka, 20 years in prison for these lowlifes who violate the law and our rights.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:05 | 6153650 MonetaryApostate
MonetaryApostate's picture

Well there's a real shocker, as if we believed they would stop spying on us...   (Not)

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:09 | 6153656 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Been doing it for fifty years already,this is just the latest iteration.

They wouldn't know how to stop now.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:18 | 6153885 BrocilyBeef
BrocilyBeef's picture

Now, folks, don't forget...

CHINA = GOOD.

UNITED STATES = BAD.

AND THIS OBSERVATION = OBVIOUS BULLSHIT.

---

International government (and their ABC organziations) equates to NO liberty for the people anywhere!

I don't care if the East puppets the show.

Down with world governance and international bankers!

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:36 | 6153961 old naughty
old naughty's picture

so China is more hopeful in Americans...

who'd have thought?

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 02:03 | 6154505 Gobbler
Gobbler's picture

A lecture from the Chinese?  Are we supposed to take this seriously?  C'mon.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:22 | 6153532 kowalli
kowalli's picture

good news, it Is Not The End Of Washington's Intrusive Spying.

oh, wait...

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:29 | 6153535 SmokinMonkey
SmokinMonkey's picture

How about China just shut the hell up and back is currency by Gold already.  They can bitch all they want or actually do something different themselves.  I have been purchasing my Gold at www.bitgold.com/r/YSXz3q   who will soon be issuing debit cards so you can then use your Gold to make everyday purchases.  At least this company gets it!

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:41 | 6153762 Rock On Roger
Rock On Roger's picture

Nice paper stack you got there.

 

Poof. Now you see it, now you don't.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:23 | 6153537 Secret Weapon
Secret Weapon's picture

Pot calling Kettle.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:26 | 6153545 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

We have exceptional oppressors though.See, there is a difference.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:27 | 6153547 DeliciousSteak
DeliciousSteak's picture

The Chinese are so full of it it's overflowing. At least these pieces are somewhat amusing.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:32 | 6153560 suteibu
suteibu's picture

If you polled the Chinese, they would tell you that they have more freedoms and opportunities than their parents.  If you polled Americans, they would tell you they have less freedoms and opportunities than their parents.  Which trend would you rather be on?

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:37 | 6153576 DeliciousSteak
DeliciousSteak's picture

Americans are smart enough to understand that what they have and the opportunities presented to them are still miles better than what the average Chinese has. It's not a difficult choice, maybe it'll be relevant in a few decades.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:35 | 6153738 Rock On Roger
Rock On Roger's picture

As examplified by Caitlyn.

 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:41 | 6154287 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

Caitlyn outperformed all of Chinas best athletes in the Olympics.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:49 | 6153612 i_call_you_my_base
i_call_you_my_base's picture

Personally, I'd rather be on the side of the trend where everyone has guns.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:45 | 6153775 Anusocracy
Anusocracy's picture

Unfounded comment.

Almost all gun owners are stupid enough to be government lovers. They are not for freedom.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 22:34 | 6154123 SgtShaftoe
SgtShaftoe's picture

50% of gun owners are statist idiots, and 5% are for true freedom. That 5% are also mostly former military and a bunch of former SF type people. It's all shades of gray really. Run the numbers, then compare that to enemy strength in the sandbox and tell me who has the upper hand.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 00:26 | 6154384 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

Chinese peasants are in the same boat as the US peasants.  They only think they are freer.  Now get back to work, the world needs more plasticrap.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 06:48 | 6154672 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Knitting  for the margin.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:24 | 6153540 GoldSilverBitcoinBug
GoldSilverBitcoinBug's picture

Patriot Act and shit like that: how to pretend to be a democratic free countryTM while out-competing Nazi Germany spies and surveillance apparatus...

From that, the firewall of China is for pussies.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:30 | 6153556 trulz4lulz
trulz4lulz's picture

Why don't the Chinese just stop building all our shit for us? Or peddle their wares in greener pasture? Its not like Americans are producing any of this equipment.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:34 | 6153567 DeliciousSteak
DeliciousSteak's picture

Who is going to buy their junk? Zimbabwe? Don't you worry though, they are currently hard at work trying to transform into a consumer economy. They just need to figure out a way to lift hundreds of millions of peasants out of crippling poverty.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 06:52 | 6154678 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Yep, no comparison to the methods of our government programs for poverty eradication.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:27 | 6153703 GoldSilverBitcoinBug
GoldSilverBitcoinBug's picture

Chinese are traders and merchants: they will sell their shit and doesn't care about what may happen in USA as they consider it's not of their business (and rightly so).

The Chinese deal is pretty simple: don't meddle in our country and South China sea and you can do everything you want at home, pretty simple to understand even for an average IQ.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:28 | 6153551 Deepskyy
Deepskyy's picture

1.  No shit.  2.  Really China?  As if you have room to talk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:24 | 6153918 BrocilyBeef
BrocilyBeef's picture

Repeat after me: East is good. West is bad. *Bullshit!*

Puppet meets puppet. 

Search up the food chain.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:28 | 6153553 Niall Of The Ni...
Niall Of The Nine Hostages's picture

"US authorities need to take serious actions to show some sincerity, and to prove that they are not bad guys."

If they can pull that off, maybe they can prove black is white for an encore.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:34 | 6153566 Milton Freewater
Milton Freewater's picture

I'm sure they are putting that facility in Utah on mothballs as we speak!

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:35 | 6153569 JuliaS
JuliaS's picture

Sure, the government is just going to let all the billions invested into spying go to waste! The data collection and processing centres - they'll be bulldozed over and converted into parks and playgrounds by Monday.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:39 | 6153579 Joebloinvestor
Joebloinvestor's picture

You can bet that if they respected the law, when it expired, all that happened is either British or Canadians replaced those Americans that were doing the monitoring.

 

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 06:54 | 6154682 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Naw, goog and aple.

 

Gathering consumer information to better serve you.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:40 | 6153585 Duc888
Duc888's picture

 

 

Don't fret, the scumbag politicians will rework it, make it more intrusive and pass it in a few weeks.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:53 | 6153611 WTFUD
WTFUD's picture

The Death Throw's of an Empire. It's about to get real ugly toppling the 'Establishment ' as it's all or nothing for these privileged inbred MF's.

Yes Siree Bob they'll throw every last one of your tax dollars, pounds and euros at you (well into their security ) in order to keep their gravy train rolling.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 19:54 | 6153624 smacker
smacker's picture

Whatever spying the NSA is not now allowed to do will continue unabated or will be covered by Britain's GCHQ who are now in the process of getting a new bill thru Parliament to re-introduce the Snoopers Charter. This time on steroids.

Cameron's Tory Party strongly fought this Bill when it was first introduced by HRH Tony Blair's government. Cameron now re-intros it himself in an expanded form sponsored by the bitch in the Home Office, Theresa May.

Hypocrisy cannot get much more shameful.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:04 | 6153647 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

I thought Ms. May got life for impersonating a woman.

Talk about an offencive person on your weapon.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:34 | 6153733 WillyGroper
WillyGroper's picture

Look on the bright side.

At least "Snoopers Charter" can be construed as a somewhat accurate description of the intent of the bill.

"Patriot Act" reflects either deception, the USSA skool system or both.

I'm going with both.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:17 | 6153633 smacker
smacker's picture

ALERT: red downer troll is active in this thread.

 

Edit: make that two red downer trolls.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:26 | 6153700 CH1
CH1's picture

These boards have been polluted with trolls for a while.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:13 | 6153877 Government need...
Government needs you to pay taxes's picture

A sure sign important views are discussed here.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:03 | 6153644 gwar5
gwar5's picture

Massive intelligence apparatus is only good for blackmail and CIA secret wars. Those assholes say they didn't even know about the rise of ISIS or collapse of the Soviet Union. Have prevented ZERO terrorist attacks despite repeated warnings from Russia about the Boston bombers.

 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:09 | 6153657 will ling
will ling's picture

got a better idea: start rounding up the american (in TX this summer would be a good starting point) facists and puttin' 'em up aganst the wall.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:35 | 6153726 Stormtrooper
Stormtrooper's picture

And don't forget to grab all of their stashes of that barbaric metal that they are fond of holding onto.  Oh, and watch out for all of those hundreds of millions of rounds of lead metal that they will be letting loose from millions of six shooters.

Hey, I talked myself into it.  Think I'll take a little vacation and go on down to Texas to take part in the Jade Helm party.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:39 | 6153753 will ling
will ling's picture

also a good idea, but can't figure out which side you'all on.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:04 | 6153846 Anusocracy
Anusocracy's picture

It would be pointless to try and give freedom to the American public.

They don't want it. Plain as the nose on your face and as simple as going out and talking to a couple dozen of them.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:39 | 6154279 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

People enslave themselves through debt, addiction, and greed.

 

The most awesome thing about America is that we are FREE to do so.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 07:00 | 6154690 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Even the meme of 'Saftey Net' has been morphed into another meaning.

Cradle to grave, kids.

That reminds me.

 

I completely endorse Hillary for POTUS 2016.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:17 | 6153678 InvalidID
InvalidID's picture

 

 USA doesn't spy on it's people, Beijing has wonderful air, Moscow is a sunny vacation destination...

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:20 | 6153687 nmewn
nmewn's picture

China, lecturing anyone in the west about intrusive government tactics is like Pamela Anderson proclaiming she's a virgin.

It may look good but it never passes the smell test ;-)

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:30 | 6153718 suteibu
suteibu's picture

Yeah...kind of like the US chastising China for currency manipulation and human rights.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:34 | 6153731 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Point well taken but don't confuse the statists anymore than they already are ;-)

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:05 | 6153815 Anusocracy
Anusocracy's picture

The only point of criticism in most of these topics is who did it first. For almost all of them and without question, it was the US.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:36 | 6153743 Inthemix96
Inthemix96's picture

US is right to chastise China on human rights. 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:38 | 6153748 Inthemix96
Inthemix96's picture

I am theXman, when did I become Inthemix96?

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:34 | 6154265 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

Uh --- in 1996?

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 07:05 | 6154695 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Giving us old guys crap?

Tell us you are in your late twenties and can't remember your own name in the middle of the week to regain some cred

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:43 | 6153769 suteibu
suteibu's picture

Only after the US cleans up its own house.  Rendition.  Droning civilians.  CIA drug trafficking.   Michelle's school lunch diktat.  Financial malfeasance negatively affecting millions of households. 

It is not that China is pure and innocent, only that the US has no moral high ground to criticize China.  It's embarrassing.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:36 | 6154271 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

China harvests organs from political dissidents.

 

Feel better?

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:42 | 6154288 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Their rich also eat fetuses. Its a status thing.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:00 | 6154186 Chump
Chump's picture

I expect the NSA to spy on China, Russia, Iran, Germany, all of them.  Allies, enemies, doesn't matter.  The domestic spying was my sole concern and I don't need any Chinese citizens to weigh in on that issue.

Yes, China, the NSA and CIA apparatus that spies on you is still intact, as it should be.  Whoever wrote this tripe can go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:33 | 6154262 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

How about foreign agents operating within our borders?

 

I say disappear their asses.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:24 | 6153695 blindman
blindman's picture

the same people who run washington run
Verizon, google, faceplant, apple and att.
the Chinese already own it too. it is all
a crime scene, ongoing.........

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:26 | 6153699 10mm
10mm's picture

Theater, period. 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 20:35 | 6153723 Evil Bugeyes
Evil Bugeyes's picture

The Chinese government's internet monitoring and censorship is second to none. They are far ahead of the US in this area. So their praise of the US is pure hypocrisy.

It is nice to be rid of the Patriot Act (although I'm sure it will be back in an even worse form in a few days). But there are so many new opportunities for spying that no electronic communication is really safe.

There should be a law that says that any form of surveilance that is illegal for ordinary US citizens to perform should also be illegal for any government agency unless it has a court order specifically authorizing it based on probable cause.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:05 | 6153790 Anusocracy
Anusocracy's picture

.

The US is the seasoned veteran of electronic surveillance.

All the others are rank amateurs and late comers.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:30 | 6154257 Ginsengbull
Ginsengbull's picture

Why should government agencies be denied the same information that privately controlled corporations have unfettered access too?

 

If NSAFBICIA can tell when you have breakfast, lunch, and dinner...

 

JP Morgan Chase can tell you how much sodium you have in your diet, just from your credit card statement.

 

Google/Facebook/Twitter can tell how you spice and cook your pork ribs.

 

It's all perfectly legal. Read the user agreement with your internet service provider.

 

And remember, Sweet Baby Ray's barbeque sauce is the best... unless your into that Carolina mustard swill.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 21:12 | 6153871 Government need...
Government needs you to pay taxes's picture

I agree with Red China on this.  The Fedcoats are the enemy. . . of liberty and freedom.  Our country is heading for a very bloody period of time.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 07:46 | 6154724 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Whenever there is a call here for revolutionary anarchy here, I have an urge to mention the French Revolution.

We are too close to the Romantic American Revolution to be any thing but proud of the action and the first hundred years of it's aftermath.

What puts me in this chirpy mood is the the article I am reading about the Battle of Waterloo.

The historic date of the battle is Sunday, June 18, 1815.

(dMAC Digest Volume 4 No 6 by Duncan MacDonald.)

The world upheaval was a direct result of common people pushing against European Monarchy.

The end result was a long period of time of unprecedented terror and governance chaos, that really has not settled down in Europe to the present day.

Sheep and anarchists are capable of emotional thought and action , but not rational thought.

The only guarantee for a modern revolution will be that a more psychotic bunch will be whipping you to finance their visions of yet another perfect world.

 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 22:19 | 6154078 SgtShaftoe
SgtShaftoe's picture

Ah way to go China!! The dragon has figured out the game!

There is no need for war, or missile strikes on US aircraft and ships in retaliation for agression. All that must be done is to reveal the truth!

And the truth will set you free! Now bring it bitchez!!!
That's aimed at you Russia and China. There's 50+ years of truth that hasn't been released. Do it. Bring the fucking truth and lay it out in an international forum. Put a fork in this fascist monster.

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 23:36 | 6154273 dsty
dsty's picture

Communism, the heroes of freedom

crazy bitches!

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 01:28 | 6154466 honestann
honestann's picture

!!!!!  GIVE ME A BREAK  !!!!!

-----

It was blatantly and obviously illegal and unconstitutional to collect that data... and the NSA did so anyway.

Therefore, whether the congress decrees such collection legal or not is UTTERLY IRRELEVANT in practice.  They will continue to collect, no matter what, unless the human predators who call themselves "federal government" cease to exist.

Furthermore, it doesn't matter WHAT congress says... even in the fictional theory of the fictional government itself... since congress cannot override the constitution, and technically speaking neither can the Supreme Court (though they certain can issue unconstitutional judgements).

-----

I have NO IDEA why anyone discusses topics this way (taking "government" or "congress" or "law" or "constitution" as real, or dependable in any way whatsoever).

I have NO IDEA why anyone imagines the most dishonest, egregious and destructive human predators in the history of mankind... will not continue to do whatever they want to do, no matter WHAT happens.

Seriously!

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