Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Alan Rusbridger, Guardian Editor, Summoned To Parliament Over Snowden

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - British lawmakers will question the editor of the Guardian newspaper next month over publishing intelligence files from U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden after warnings from security chiefs that the leaks damaged UK national security.

Alan Rusbridger will appear before the House of Commons home affairs select committee, the Guardian said. "Alan has been invited to give evidence to the ... committee and looks forward to appearing next month," a spokeswoman said.

Disclosures about the activities of Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping agency and its close cooperation with the U.S. National Security Agency, have embarrassed Prime Minister David Cameron and angered lawmakers in his ruling Conservative party who say they have compromised national security.

Civil liberties groups say the files have shown the need for more effective controls over intelligence gathering but spy chiefs have been highly critical about their publication.

"They've put our operations at risk," John Sawers, the head of MI6, Britain's foreign intelligence service, told a parliamentary committee earlier this week.

"It's clear that our adversaries are rubbing their hands with glee - al Qaeda is lapping it up," he said.

Last month, Cameron threatened to act to stop newspapers publishing the leaks.

Rusbridger, a former Washington editor for the London Daily News, has defended the Guardian's role, saying it has provoked a debate about the extent of intelligence activities, which lawmakers had failed to do. (Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Author: Reuters

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