Surviving Capitalism (Not) : European spies want more powers, but face uphill battle

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Friday, January 16, 2015

European spies want more powers, but face uphill battle

Click here to access article from EurActiv.

This article from a European establishment source indicates that the CIA's counterparts in Europe want to exploit the Paris tragedy, the Kristallnacht of the 21st century, to increase surveillance on their citizens.

Lawmakers and spy chiefs across Europe are now saying the security agencies need more powers if repeats of the Paris attacks are to be avoided, arguing technological advances are blunting their surveillance abilities.

Just last week, the head of Britain's MI5 counterintelligence agency argued again for more surveillance powers to spy on militant communications, calling it his "sharpest concern".

"The reality is today the security authorities don't have the necessary capability, I think, to fully protect society from these kind of threats," said Europol's Wainwright.