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> That's a fundamental change in policy and accountability to civilian authority. It doesn't sound like a change in policy; it sounds like it's been the policy

• SomeStupidPoint 10y ago
  These changes had been ordered but not implemented by the time of the Snowden leaks. The current head of the NSA was appointed in 2014, after both the policy implementation and Snowden leaks had happened. Within two years of his appointment, the IG was being investigated for whistleblower retaliation. I don't know what you expect, but getting a large bereaucratic organization to have a major shake-up like that within a few years is fast, and so far as I can tell, the NSA has made major changes in the last few years, for the better. Even if you dont believe in the rest of it, the behavior of the admiral sends a message to those serving under him: "I took on the IG, a career politician, to defend this change in policy, and I expect similar performance from my staff." The military fundamentally operates on such acts of leadership and direction, and that alone can have a huge impact on how they operate.