Posts Tagged ‘NSA surveillance’

 

Dispatches from the war on leaks

A draft indictment against former NSA official Thomas Drake, which was never filed, shows that the government contemplated prosecuting him for a range of crimes, including conspiracy. But many of the most serious charges were dropped. Why? And what does it tell us about the Obama administration’s ongoing campaign to staunch leaks of classified information? […]

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The Watchers makes The Economist’s Best Books of 2010

The Economist has named The Watchers one of its best books of 2010! I’m honored to be included in such a fine group of authors. The magazine calls the book, “A vivid, well-reported and intellectually sophisticated account of the surveillance state in the wake of the attacks on September 11th 2001.”

A Clueless President

I’ve long known that, on many important national security decisions, former president George W. Bush wasn’t in the driver’s seat. But I was shocked to discover that at one of the most critical points of his presidency, Bush wasn’t even in the car. Here’s my review of Bush’s shocking admission, in his new memoir, about […]

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Why Nick Clegg is right–and a radical.

Nick Clegg is taking on the U.K.’s police state. Here’s my analysis for The Daily Beast on what it means for U.S. politicians.

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C-SPAN Book TV

C-SPAN has been re-airing my book talk from the International Spy Museum in Washington. This was on February 18, publication day for The Watchers.

Do surveillance cameras stop terrorism?

Or do they just help investigators find someone after he’s blown something up? In light of the failed attack on Times Square, I joined “Word of Mouth” on New Hampshire Public Radio to talk about the pros and cons of surveillance cameras. Do we need more? Or are they giving us a false sense of security?

The Watchers in the New York Times

The New York Times review is in today’s paper. Eric Lichtblau, no stranger to the opaque world of surveillance, gave it strong praise:

“it uses smart technical analysis and crisp writing to put the reader inside the room with the watchers and to help better understand the mind-set that gave rise to the modern surveillance state.”

“At its best ‘The Watchers’ provides an insightful glimpse into how Washington works and how ideas are marketed and sold in the back rooms of power, whether the product being peddled is widgets or a radical model for intelligence gathering.”

Slate Book Club: Debating The Watchers

This week, I’ll have an online discussion at Slate with my friend and fellow intelligence author, Patrick Radden Keefe. We’ll be talking about The Watchers, my relationship with John Poindexter, the limits of surveillance, and the future of privacy.

The Watchers on “To the Best of Our Knowledge”

This week’s broadcast of “To the Best of Our Knowledge,” from Wisconsin Public Radio, features an interview about my book, the rise of the surveillnace state, and the future of cyber war.

The Watchers in the Wall Street Journal

Check out this essay in the Wall Street Journal based on my book.  I take an in-depth look at what’s wrong with the U.S. security system, and how to fix it.