The House Intelligence Committee Hearings...

[ichkeria]

...currently live on TV if anyone's interested. With Mike Rogers (NSA) and James Comey (FBI)
Fascinating.
Intriguing to see the Republicans being told in no uncertain terms that yes.. It IS an offence to leak information and yes, those people should be jailed.
But ... Mr Comey announces that the FBI ARE investigating possible connections between Trump and the Kremlin.

[anneasquith]

It is fascinating, but so much not being said , under the cloak of " can't comment " . more than a bit fishy?

[emmie]

what channel.

[ichkeria]

I think it will get more interesting soon ..
But the bit about the FBI confirming there's an investigation ongoing rather makes Trump and Spicer and their constant "Fake news" spile look (even) daft(er)
I loved the bit where Representative King (Rep) was asking Director Comey who was in the room when Trump was briefed and Director Comey replied that he could not confirm there had been a meeting because if he did so he would be confirming the leak :-)
But your point about "can't comment" underlines the problem when it comes to this sort of thing: security means secrecy, and that secrecy also breeds suspicion. In the end it comes down to "who do you trust?"

[ichkeria]

Currently on CNN and Fox emmie. Was on Sky, BBC, AL Jazeera and France 24 as well earlier

[Peter Pedant]

thanks for the notice Itchy

I found it absorbing but I notice the intellects on AB have by and large passed it by.
I was concentrating on 'it is so secret we cant tell you'
and whether it really meant - "we call it so secret because the truth reflects on us so badly and if we call it secret we dont have to discuss it ...."

Ponting (UK) reported that the Commons had been lied to and was indicted for spying ( acquitted on indictment)

Matrix Churchill - there were things so secret they could not be referred to whereas in fact they were declared secret because the Govt knew and was behind everything that was going on in Matrix Churchill - in other words they used secrecy to cover up perjury

One of the themes of the l'Affaire Dreyfus actually
" actually madame we can do nothing about your husband and injustice because the govt and even the Republic may fall !"

[Peter Pedant]

Good contrast between the set of questions

did GCHQ tap Trump Towers ? answer: no we know they didnt
the idea has been described as crass and utter nonsense, would you agree with that - - - answer : yes

and - do you have any knowledge of russian interference in the election fo the president of the united states ?
answer - well I dont want to get bogged down in too much detail on this - we are still investigating and it is all very secret ....

Apparently it was the good fellas at GCHQ who tipped the americans - "you know the republicans are being hacked dont you ? "

[ladybirder]

I was glued to it on Sky this morning. Absolutely fascinating.

[Peter Pedant]

more tomorrow or is that it for the week ?

[anneasquith]

He's on TV now . newnight. I have it on channel 130 .

[ichkeria]

I think more next week. The CIA are coming next time.
Three things struck me: the great respect shown by the representatives to the two intelligence chiefs.
The dumb questions asked by one or two of them, both democrat and republican, in pursuit of their own agendas,
And the very impressive way those two chiefs came across.

[Peter Pedant]

BRUSA became UKUSA and now the 5I's

the collaboration over Enigma ( and surprisingly the Japanese book codes JN25 which the british has broken ) was extended to common benefit - and now involves ABC and NZ along with the US and it was obviously too valuable to scrap
The american view was - we can get over this

the problem is refutation - proving you didnt do something
it is much easier to prove a positive ...

FBI director's tenure is NOT at the presidents pleasure
ten years from 2013 apparently

the others - if you dont agree with the presidents alternative view of the facts - you go ! ( and they have )

[ladybirder]

Agree with your assessment of the two chiefs Ich in the way they both gave and received respect. They inspired confidence I thought in the careful and thorough (as much as they could be) way they answered questions. I was impressed and fascinated. An odd experience for me.