I cut and pasted quite a bit, because 99.9 % of readers on this forum do not ever check links and this might be for even one person..

I post it ONLY because I am so sick of Fox News and the White House contriving everything under the sun to portray GOOG GOVERNMENT as something nefarious. The fact our President is conducting this, allowing it and quoting it is disturbing.

This article is very clear, and was recommended by someone who should know his stuff.

If you tire of wanting to know what is real, just skip it. I am beyond thinking most in here are even interested in what is real




"Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice reportedly tried to learn the identities of officials on President Donald Trump's transition team whose conversations with foreign officials were incidentally collected during routine intelligence-gathering operations.

The intelligence reports obtained by Rice, who served under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017, "were summaries of monitored conversations — primarily between foreign officials discussing the Trump transition, but also in some cases direct contact between members of the Trump team and monitored foreign officials," Bloomberg's Eli Lake reported on Monday.

National-security experts say Rice's reported requests to identify who was speaking with the foreign officials before Trump was inaugurated were neither unusual nor against the law — especially if, as Lake reported, the foreign officials being monitored were discussing "valuable political information" that required the identity of the people they were speaking to, or about, to be uncovered.

"The identities of US persons may be released under two circumstances: 1) the identity is needed to make sense of the intercept; 2) if a crime is involved in the conversation," said Robert Deitz, a former senior counselor to the CIA director and former general counsel at the National Security Agency.

"Any senior official who receives the underlying intelligence may request these identities," Deitz said, noting that while "the bar for obtaining the identity is not particularly high, it must come from a senior official, and the reason cannot simply be raw curiosity."

Documents showing that Rice made those requests were uncovered by the National Security Council's senior director for intelligence, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, according to Lake's reporting. Cohen-Watnick was involved in providing documents related to the incidental surveillance of members of Trump's transition team to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes about two weeks ago, though it is unclear if they are the same documents mentioned in Lake's reporting.

A source of concern to some, however, has been why some of Trump's associates who had been caught up in the surveillance and later unmasked, such as former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, had their names leaked to the press. Lake, for instance, has argued that the "selective leaking of monitored communications of US persons is a police-state tactic."

But former NSA Director Michael Hayden, who also served as the principal deputy director of national intelligence and the director of the CIA, cautioned against "automatically assuming that the US person was party to the conversation" that may have prompted an unmasking.

"My life experience suggests that the overwhelming proportion of these cases of incidental collection is not information to or from an American, but information about an American," Hayden said. "In this case, it is very likely in most instances two foreigners talking about the Trump transition."

Lake's article follows a Fox News report citing "a source" who said the official who sought to identify the people who were speaking with monitored foreign agents was "very well known, very high up, very senior in the intelligence world."

Trump on Monday praised Fox's "amazing reporting on unmasking and the crooked scheme against us," which he said showed that "there was electronic surveillance" of his inner circle during the transition.


As Nunes has told reporters and as Lake has reported, there is no evidence that Trump and his team were directly surveilled.

The move by Rice, if she had probable cause, could likely be viewed as routine and expected of high-level intelligence officials, said Paul Pillar, a 28-year veteran of the CIA and former executive assistant to the CIA's deputy director for intelligence.


Pillar, who is now a nonresident senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Security Studies, said Rice may have even been motivated to request identities in order to constrain her own communications.

"If Ms. Rice was communicating with members of Trump's team regarding transition matters and she learns from intelligence that some such members also are communicating with the Russians, she would want to know exactly who is doing that so she can be extra careful in her own talks, lest something she says gets relayed to Moscow," Pillar said.

"This whole story strikes me as just more of the effort to divert attention from the issue of the relations that Trump and his associates have had with Russia, and as part of the diversion to try to suggest impropriety of some sort on the part of the Obama administration," Pillar said. "In other words, it's a continuation of an effort to salvage something from Trump's baseless charges about Obama wiretapping him."

The White House has tried repeatedly, with varying degrees of evidence, to validate Trump's explosive claim made last month that Obama wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower during the election.

A former Obama administration official responsible for the Defense Department's Russia policy, for instance, came into the White House's crosshairs last week for what it has characterized as her admission that Obama-era officials were collecting intelligence on Trump and his transition team.

Pillar said that "an important thing to remember is that we are dealing with foreign intelligence — intelligence on Russian activities — and indeed, Russian activities that strike close to the heart of our democratic processes.

"We should be disturbed if whoever was in office was not keeping close tabs on that sort of thing," he said."

Susan Rice tried to 'unmask' Trump associates, report says - Business Insider




By the way, as I said, I don't care if anyone reads this..I know most don't care much about truth and USA but if there is someone, I excluded a few paras, so read the link to see the whole thing.

Nothing here trying to condemn Trump, his staff or anyone. I am just sick of him and Fox muddying up an important investigation. I hope he did nothing, because that would be a disaster for our country and bottom line is that..the country

Best tweet of the day...

[I][I]


If improper masking occurred...prosecute. If collusion with Russia occurred...impeach!

tl;dr

Sneaky, mousy, Obama liar leader.

No surprise. She is worse than Clinton.

Obama rewarded her lying by promoting her.

Her qualifications? She was a campaign supporter and able to lie and deny with the same deer in the headlights sign of deceit.

No surprise here. Only what she says next!

If it is noon and she states the sun is shining, one needs to look outside!

Originally Posted by Guest

Sneaky, mousy, Obama liar leader.

No surprise. She is worse than Clinton.

Obama rewarded her lying by promoting her.

Her qualifications? She was a campaign supporter and able to lie and deny with the same deer in the headlights sign of deceit.

No surprise here. Only what she says next!

If it is noon and she states the sun is shining, one needs to look outside!

That's 1 who doesn't read

Just a note on the UNMASKING in post#1, and in post 4, the obvious poster who either cannot read or understand. The unmasking bybSusan Rice was within her job and normal and we are again being treated to thevPresudent watching Fox and posting what he hears, instead of checking.

The below is strange....could have been ok, except for the undercover players involved, but doubt anyone cares or will even read. To summarize, just another peg...alone just suspicious, with others.....


"The United Arab Emirates arranged a secret meeting in January between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and a Russian close to President Vladi*mir Putin as part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump, according to U.S., European and Arab officials."

Blackwater founder held secret Seychelles meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel - The Washington Post

Originally Posted by Guest

Just a note on the UNMASKING in post#1, and in post 4, the obvious poster who either cannot read or understand. The unmasking bybSusan Rice was within her job and normal and we are again being treated to thevPresudent watching Fox and posting what he hears, instead of checking.

The below is strange....could have been ok, except for the undercover players involved, but doubt anyone cares or will even read. To summarize, just another peg...alone just suspicious, with others.....


"The United Arab Emirates arranged a secret meeting in January between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and a Russian close to President Vladi*mir Putin as part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump, according to U.S., European and Arab officials."

Blackwater founder held secret Seychelles meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel - The Washington Post

Not true. It's obvious that you have never handled classified material before, or intelligence reporting. The unmasking of American citizens is only allowed for special situations, NOT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. Rice did it for personal or political reasons and should be prosecuted. Then, on top of it all, she just lied about it to the American people. She should have kept her mouth shut, but she is a stupid person. That is obvious from the time she insisted that a video was responsible for Benghazi.

In my humble view, the progressive mantra goes something like this: " the more partisan I become the more likely I am a truth teller"

A progressive would not acknowledge a fact if s/he tripped over.

Occam Razor applies here. Who was it that told the country that Benghazi was a result of an amateur video?
Who is Obama's closest adviser and one with access to confidential material?
Who would gain from fabricating a story about a Russian connection?

The[un] intelligence community MSM, et al working with progressives are intent on proving a Russian connection to TRUMP.

So far they have uncovered:

Clinton's uranium deal..no not that

Trump surveillance with unmaskings...no not that

Clinton foundations campaign donation from foreign nations to gain preferential access scandal...no not that

Podesta's e-mails...no not that

Brazile's Q&A give away...no not that

DNC scandal...no not that

Wikileaks democrat scandal revelations...no not that

Hillary's zillion missing e-mails...no not that

Trump Derangement Syndrome has created mass hysteria among the progressive community and it is an ugly thing to behold. and the more one tries to explain to them that it is all delusional thinking the angrier, hateful and violent they get., with their cry to resist, persist, enlist..

Personal Best Regards:

Doncha just love all the crap some turn out when ANYBODY is not on their wave length, their side, their party or GOD forbid has a point of view that does not agree with theirs!!!!

Originally Posted by Guest

Not true. It's obvious that you have never handled classified material before, or intelligence reporting. The unmasking of American citizens is only allowed for special situations, NOT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. Rice did it for personal or political reasons and should be prosecuted. Then, on top of it all, she just lied about it to the American people. She should have kept her mouth shut, but she is a stupid person. That is obvious from the time she insisted that a video was responsible for Benghazi.

I spent my entire military career (6 years) PLUS a number of years after working with a top secret cryptographic clearance (not sure if that category still exists) so I understand.

I, unlike you, was never able to from afar tell motives of people. Not sure what clearance there is thatballows younthat skill, but what she did was well within her responsibilities.

You should look up the difference between UNMASKING and LEAKING.

Originally Posted by Guest

Not true. It's obvious that you have never handled classified material before, or intelligence reporting. The unmasking of American citizens is only allowed for special situations, NOT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. Rice did it for personal or political reasons and should be prosecuted. Then, on top of it all, she just lied about it to the American people. She should have kept her mouth shut, but she is a stupid person. That is obvious from the time she insisted that a video was responsible for Benghazi.

Perhaps you meant to say:

If Rice did it for personal or political reasons and should be prosecuted.

Originally Posted by Guest

Perhaps you meant to say:

If Rice did it for personal or political reasons and should be prosecuted.

I agree, and you should type that "if" in caps...IF.

Not sure how long this thing takes, but my thought is there will be more than one prosecution for more than one offense, some major, some minor.

MOST I am beginning to think will be not from the original "sin" but various cover ups.

Don't think this is going to be over soon.

Originally Posted by Guest

In my humble view, the progressive mantra goes something like this: " the more partisan I become the more likely I am a truth teller"

A progressive would not acknowledge a fact if s/he tripped over.

Occam Razor applies here. Who was it that told the country that Benghazi was a result of an amateur video?
Who is Obama's closest adviser and one with access to confidential material?
Who would gain from fabricating a story about a Russian connection?

The[un] intelligence community MSM, et al working with progressives are intent on proving a Russian connection to TRUMP.

So far they have uncovered:

Clinton's uranium deal..no not that

Trump surveillance with unmaskings...no not that

Clinton foundations campaign donation from foreign nations to gain preferential access scandal...no not that

Podesta's e-mails...no not that

Brazile's Q&A give away...no not that

DNC scandal...no not that

Wikileaks democrat scandal revelations...no not that

Hillary's zillion missing e-mails...no not that

Trump Derangement Syndrome has created mass hysteria among the progressive community and it is an ugly thing to behold. and the more one tries to explain to them that it is all delusional thinking the angrier, hateful and violent they get., with their cry to resist, persist, enlist..

Personal Best Regards:

I really like to read your posts, sir. I think you are wise and very ethical and kind and have good common sense.

Originally Posted by Guest

I really like to read your posts, sir. I think you are wise and very ethical and kind and have good common sense.

I am sure you do, you certainly make that abundantly clear.

I suggest then that both of you are so consumed with hate for so many other Americans you are missing thevrealty of the world.

Your perception, that somehow, you can identify a group, and then blame the chaos in the world on that is not palatable to me.

You both have said you wish to talk topics, but 100% of the time post on theoretical themes attacking one group or another.

Ethical and kind...I think not. Ethical is recognizing individuals as such, and not simply a member of a group that YOU classify. Kind is not being blindly judgmental of people who do not fit the mold YOU have proclaimed acceptable.

To your specific point.....those bad people have already proven a foreign country hacked and attempted to move or sway our electoral system.

ALL THE REST is at the behest and request of the President of the United States. It is NOT at the request of the media. It is NOT at the request of "progressives". It is taking place, simply and ONLY because if the President if the United States, HE is the ONLY one to accuse his predecessor of wire tapping and instructed the comm. to investigate...HE is the one who accused 1/2 million illegals of voting and told them to investigate it. HE is the one quoting FOX news weekly with anonymous sources to chase.

You post like you know what you are talking about, and ignore all facts.

The love, admiration and total and complete adherence to Trump, even when he lies should be of concern.

I now know why you avoid actual issues....you know nothing about them.

To be ethical and kind, you need awareness...,you need sensitivity..,you have none of that.

The lack of facing reality and the coupling with the President making almost daily news with his own conspiracy theory, NONE generated anywhere but the Whitehouse simply robs real issues of news space. He is playing the press with what appears to be a cover up of something. Nobody in the media, nor a progressive started anything, and are reacting to him, which he enjoys.

I hope you get you wish, and there is nothing, but he keeps adding to the story each day.

You keep posting a definitive theme....move on, but you do not seem to be able to

Originally Posted by Guest

I spent my entire military career (6 years) PLUS a number of years after working with a top secret cryptographic clearance (not sure if that category still exists) so I understand.

I, unlike you, was never able to from afar tell motives of people. Not sure what clearance there is thatballows younthat skill, but what she did was well within her responsibilities.

You should look up the difference between UNMASKING and LEAKING.

Well let me take a wild guess between the difference of UNMASKING AND LEAKING. First, a person unmasks ( identifies) a subject who was not the intended target and then once identifying the non-target leaks his/her name in an effort to sully his reputation and bring unwarranted suspicious on his person. Both unmasking and leaking are criminal offenses and may depending on the circumstances be subjected to civil torts as well.

Personal Best Regards: