To the Point
Spying, International Relations and Reeling In the NSA
America's National Security Agency has built a massive, online intelligence apparatus in the name of protecting the nation. Is it too successful for America's own good?
By Warren Olney • • 51m ListenSince 9/11, America's National Security Agency has built a massive, online intelligence apparatus in the name of protecting the nation. Is it too successful for America's own good? Revelations about spying on foreign leaders are spreading outrage around the world—although former leaders of many countries admit they do it, too. We look at the continuing fallout of leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Also, Syria's Assad meets a chemical weapons deadline, and the FDA's new rules for painkillers that can lead to abuse and addiction.
Banner image: A computer with a series of numbers and the logo of the United States' NSA is seen in this multiple exposure illustration taken in Frankfurt October 28, 2013. Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
In this episode
3 storiesSyria's Assad Meets Chemical Weapons Deadline
Syria has not yet destroyed all its deadly chemical weapons, but it has made the machinery to manufacture them "inoperable." The UN's Organization for the prohibition of Chemical Weapons says the Assad regime has met the deadline set forth in agreements with the US and Russia. The ongoing civil war is another matter.
Read the story8 minHow Much Spying Is Too Much?
President Obama has told German Chancellor Angela Merkel he didn't know her cell phone was tapped by America's National Security Agency and that he's put a stop to it. All government leaders know that nations spy on their friends as well as their enemies, but they also know the key is not to get caught.
Read the story36 minTighter FDA Regulations on Prescription Painkillers
For 15 years, increased usage of Vicodin, Oxycontin and similar medications has led to reports that narcotic painkillers cause abuse and addiction. Some members of Congress have proposed new restrictions. Drug company lobbyists have fought back, while patient groups and medical providers have been divided.
Read the story8 min
