National Security Agency Essay

Thinking in the philosophical terms of "good" and "evil," nothing purely "good" can survive without the slightest taint of "evil," and vice-versa. The same standard exists for everything. Just as you cannot always succeed by being purely honest, a government cannot hold itself together without committing it's own personal rights and wrongs. The United States of America has protected its residents well in the past, and kept the appearance of a mild innocense; well, most of it, anyway. The Covert Intelligence Agency (CIA) is mostly swamped in its wrongs, though many have not even been proven. The CIA has been this country's "yang" to protect the populace of the USA.

NSA stands for National Security Agency. They collect and process information and data for foreign intelligence as well as protect communications networks and information system for the United States. (“What Exactly is the NSA”). We need the NSA because when they use their powers for good they can gather information for potential terrorists and stop what they are planning before people are hurt or killed (“NSA Intelligence Gathering Programs Keep us Safe”).

Whether it is calling someone on your phone or online shopping on the computer, people are more connected than ever to the internet. However, a person might be oblivious to the fact that they are being watched using these technologies. The NSA (National Security Agency) is an intelligence organization for the U.S. to protect information systems and foreign intelligence information. Recently the NSA has been accused of invading personal privacy through web encryption, tracking, and using personal information for their own uses and without permission. The surveillance of the NSA produces unlawful invasion of privacy causing an unsecure nation.

However, their efforts stepped up significantly after the terror attacks that occurred on 9/11. After 9/11, the government was on high alert for anybody that could be a potential terrorist. The NSA quickly began spying on foreigners suspected of being involved in terrorist activities or associating with potential terrorists. (Wikipedia - Mass Surveillance in the United States) Soon after this, they started intercepting phone conversations and even internet traffic through a program known as PRISM. This program was kept secret for quite a while until NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked thousands of documents to reporters. (PBS - How Edward Snowden Leaked Thousands of NSA Documents)

“The most important innovation of the NSA, the National Security Council, was a special source of concern for President Truman, who worried that it would become a ‘‘second cabinet.’’ (Stuart 2003) The National Security Council was made up of The President of the United States, The Secretary of the State, The Secretary of Defense, The Secretary of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and The Chairman of National Security Resources Board. The NSC responsibilities were to “advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security.” (“National Security Act of 1947" 2009) Another important agency that came out of the National Security Act was the Central Intelligence

The NSA surveillance program is a critically important program to the national security in the United States. The NSA has two missions, to exploit foreign communications, known as SIGINT, and protect U.S. information systems, known as IA. The headquarters are located at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, which is very close to Washington D.C. The NSA is known for its high tech prowess, and it is on the frontiers of communications and information technology.

The potential benefits of the NSA's surveillance programs have been described by the Obama administration as vital to the War on Terror. The two programs that have received the most attention are the collection

Congress had a substantial issue with that because NSA was forbidden from collecting any data on American citizens, and by charter, its mission was to surveil foreigners. The President’s directive was revised, denying the NSA the National Manager role. It was not until 1987 for Congress to pass a bill, assigning the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST), under the Department of Commerce, responsibility for developing standards and guidelines for the security of Federal computer systems, drawing upon technical

“It was maximally secretive from the start: President Truman created the NSA with the stroke of a pen at the bottom of a classified 7-page memorandum. Even the name was initially classified. Decades later, the memorandum that acted as the agency's charter remained secret.“(Friedersdorf). Because of this, the NSA has been shrouded in secrecy, which people disapprove of. “Despite its size and power...no law has ever been enacted prohibiting the NSA from engaging in any activity... In addition to being free of legal restrictions, the NSA has technological capabilities for eavesdropping beyond imagination.”(Friedersdorf). The NSA didn't want people to know about them or the illegal things they were doing. When the snowden files were released, The NSA had a downfall. If they were doing everything that was legal, they wouldn't have to hide everything that they are doing. While the NSA tries to support the US, many people still disapprove of their private records being

NSA was established on November 4, 1952, by President Harry Truman. At the time Truman was sworn in as the 33rd president of the U.S. after Roosevelt’s unforeseen death. In hopes to end WWII the NSA was established and helped win the war by breaking German and Japanese codes and encrypted messages. Ironically Truman died in 1972 when the CSS and NSA joined forces. Seemed to be all fine and well using surveillance for good and winning the war. The people were happy when their troops came home. Where the NSA systems down when Bush became president? 9/11 did happen but no one could predict or find information on this

The Department of Homeland Security, also known as the DHS, is an orginization that is set in place to protect and secure the United States from the many threats, inside and outside of the country, that compromise the safety of our nation. With over two hundred and forty thousand employees, the Department of Homeland Security works in many different areas of the nation to keep the people safe and secure. They are largely focused on prepping for terrorist attacks and everything that would come with an attack on our nation. This focus on terrorism has caused considerable controversy and criticism, including many accusations of violating civil rights with this orginization.

The NSA was created on November 4, 1952, by President Harry Truman and was held responsible for collecting, processing, and distributing intelligence information from foreign electronic signals. The NSA contributed to the Nation 's work in breaking German and Japanese codes during WWII. The information collected was to be used for national foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes and to support military operations.

“The NSA (National Security Agency) is the largest and most secretive U.S. intelligence agency.” (Junior Scholastic). NSA spying in U.S. was first discovered in the spring of 2013. The first program that was leaked was a program called PRISM. This program was made to check up on everyone and was made after 2001. The NSA is now known as the government program that monitors technology. I agree with this political cartoon #7 (NSA Spying Philippines P.O.V.) as it shows the abuse of power because of how it is a government agency, how it spied on us, and the Statue of Liberty was used in an ironic way.

The National Security Agency or NSA is the government organization that is responsible for government surveillance. This government organization collects data ranging from

The NSA, National Security Agency, is the largest manager of United States intelligence in the