reassure the american public that those recently disclosed and controversial surveillance programs are a good thing but not everyone agrees including one potential presidential contender. joining us now is the republican senator from kentucky rand paul. senator paul, thanks very much for joining us. let s get right to it. earlier today as you know at this hearing the head of the nsa, general keith alexander, said that the surveillance programs stopped a number of attacks over the last several years. he even detailed some of the attacks. let s take a listen to what he had to say and then get your reaction. in recent years, the information gathered from these programs provided the u.s. government with critical leads to help prevent over 50 potential terrorist events and more than 20 countries around the world. senator paul, general alexander, the other officials at this hearing, they said the surveillance programs stopped an attack on the new york subway system, on the new york stock
for your latest news go to foxnews.com. this week nsa director general keith alexander staunchly defending the government s programs. the secret surveillance has foiled dozens of terror plots. i believe we have achieved this security in a relative safety in the way it does not compromise the civil liberties of our citizens. does the nsa have the ability to listen to american s phone calls or read their e-mails under these two programs? no, we do not have that authority. does the technology exist at the nsa to flip a switch by some analyst to listen to americans phone calls and read i ms? no. in recent years these programs together with other ill ten jealous programs have protected our all lies from terrorist threats across the globe to include helping prevent the potential terrorist events over
foxnews.com. this week nsa director general keith alexander staunchly defending the government s programs. the secret surveillance has foiled dozens of terror plots. i believe we have achieved this security in a relative safety in the way it does not compromise the civil liberties of our citizens. does the nsa have the ability to listen to american s phone calls or read their e-mails under these two programs? no, we do not have that authority. does the technology exist at the nsa to flip a switch by some analyst to listen to americans phone calls and read i ms? no. in recent years these programs together with other ill ten jealous programs have protected our all lies from terrorist threats across the globe to include helping prevent the potential terrorist events over
allies from terrorist threats across the globe to include helping prevent the terrorist the potential terrorist events over 50 times since 9/11. bill: so here is the question: should the u.s. government be more open about what it is doing to we the people in the name of national security? that question should be debated vigorously. today, president obama spoke at the brandenberg gate in berlin, germany. he is not nearly as popular in europe as he once was because of all the national security stuff. you may remember that 50 years ago president kennedy visited the brandenburg gate confronting the soviet union about its horrendous oppression of freedom in eastern europe. today of course germany is unified in a free nation. the german press is basically liberal and in a press conference there were questions like this. there were a number of hopes in the world that
terrorist threats across a globe to include helping prevent the terrorist the potential terrorist events over 50 times since 9/11. over 50 times since 9/11. but among those 50 events, according to general alexander, there were at least ten, quote/unquote, homeland-based threats. including a plot by a kansas city man to blow up the new york stock exchange. and a plot to bomb the new york city subway system in 2009. but could these plots have been foiled using other methods? or, and this is the big question, did the government need to snoop on citizens phone calls, e-mails? outfront tonight, cnn national security analyst and former cia operative bob baer. thank you for coming on, because you know so much about this. you ve heard general alexander testifying today, saying these programs, together with other intelligence, have protected the u.s. and our allies. 50 plots thwarted since 9/11. how important were the surveillance programs, do you think? well, erin, you know, if you li