The National Security Agency's gathering of phone call and other such data is a waste of time and energy. It is also diverting resources from the quest to prevent the next terrorist act.
No matter what you think of terrorists, they are not stupid. Everyone has at least a clue to the United States' data-gathering capabilities. They know if they communicate electronically (by Internet or any kind of phone) they could get a missile through the roof.
Osama bin Laden stopped using electronic communications a long time before he was killed, but he kept using the same courier, which ultimately led to his being found and killed. The terrorists will just use couriers or face-to-face communications.
The money would be better spent catching those who overstay their visas. But Congress and the bureaucrats will keep wasting money on the billion-dollar data storage facility because neither can admit the truth: that the boat has already left the dock.
John Kiernan
Voorheesville