James Bamford Nsa Quotations

NSA prides itself on learning the lessons of the 1970s and obeying the legal restrictions imposed by FISA. Now it looks like we're going back to the bad old days again.

Today one of the key aspects of NSA is what they call 'information at rest,' this is information in databases.

Every time a Soviet plane took off, NSA knew about it. It was pretty easy to track. Now they have to track people who use cell phones, pay phones and calling cards ... You have to be a bit optimistic to think it will work.

The whole idea of the NSA is intercepting huge streams of communications, taking in 2 million pieces of communications an hour.

It shows how just somebody riding in the back seat of a car in a remote part of a remote desert, and somebody sitting at a desk at NSA could actually hear their voice and take action immediately.