Does the NSA need to be overhauled or would more watchful eyes be enough to keep it in line?
What should we do about the NSA? Should we do anything at all? These question are on the forefront these days.
The right answer, of course, is complex. The perception of illegality at the NSA has outrun the reality by a fair bit. On the other hand, it seems quite clear that the NSA has often done things of which it is technically capable without considering whether or not they were wise in the context of a broader strategy. As Lisa Monaco, the White House Counterterrorism adviser, said in USA Today: “Today’s world is highly interconnected, and the flow of large amounts of data is unprecedented. That’s why the president has directed us to review our surveillance capabilities, including with respect to our foreign partners. We want to ensure we are collecting information because we need it and not just because we can.”