After what seemed like forever, U.S. President Barack Obama has finally spoken in depth about the National Security Agency (NSA) and what is in store to keep Americans and foreign leaders safe. The president also took time out to take a few jabs at Edward Snowden for his role in leaking state secrets and laying the bare to the whole world.
"The reforms I'm proposing today should give the American people greater confidence that their rights are being protected, even as our intelligence and law enforcement agencies maintain the tools they need to keep us safe," Obama said.
Obama pointed out that for the NSA to view telephone data in the future, the agency would require court approval beforehand. He also said he would forbid eavesdropping on foreign leaders after the leaked information set off diplomatic rows with several friendly nations such as Germany.
"America's capabilities are unique," Obama said. "And the power of new technologies means that there are fewer and fewer technical constraints on what we can do. That places a special obligation on us to ask tough questions about what we should do."
The president said he believes the NSA plays a very important role in national security especially after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Though Obama cut some slack for the NSA, he was not very forgiving to Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked classified documents containing details about NSA's surveillance programs.
"Given the fact of an open investigation, I'm not going to dwell on Mr. Snowden's actions or motivations," Obama said. "Our nation's defense depends in part on the fidelity of those entrusted with our nation's secrets. If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose classified information, then we will not be able to keep our people safe, or conduct foreign policy."
