REUTERS: The Senate Intelligence Committee’s chairwoman said on Monday she is “totally opposed” to the collection of intelligence on U.S. allies by the National Security Agency and that oversight of such surveillance must be strengthened.
“Unless the United States is engaged in hostilities against a country or there is an emergency need for this type of surveillance, I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers,” Senator Dianne Feinstein said in a statement after reports that the NSA had bugged German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone and eavesdropped on the communications of other foreign leaders.
Feinstein has been a staunch defender of some of the NSA programs leaked to the media by former contractor Edward Snowden, arguing that they play an important role in the fight against global terrorism… (more)
