Webb Cites Cyberwarfare, Clinton and Sanders Mention NSA Surveillance During Democratic Presidential Debate
Former Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., called cyberwarfare the U.S.'s “greatest day-to-day threat,” during Tuesday night's Democratic presidential primary debate in response to a question about national security threats against the U.S. Webb noted the cyberthreat against the country as an…
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example of strains in the U.S.-China relationship, noting recent incidents attributed to China like the Office of Personnel Management data breach. China doesn't “have the right to conduct cyberwarfare against tens of millions of American citizens,” Webb said. “In a Webb administration, we will do something about that.” Webb was the only candidate among those participating in the Democratic debate to mention cyberthreats as a top U.S. national security concern, while multiple candidates for the Republican nomination have called out China for its cyber tactics. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is also a candidate for the Democratic nod, and other Democratic contenders also debated NSA surveillance powers. “I'd shut down what exists right now … that virtually every telephone call in this country ends up in a file at the NSA,” Sanders said. “That is unacceptable.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended her earlier support for the Patriot Act but noted that she began opposing warrantless surveillance tactics after President George W. Bush's administration “began to chip away” at privacy and civil liberties protections. Both Clinton and Sanders said they believed former NSA contractor Edward Snowden's leaks about NSA surveillance violated U.S. law but disagreed about how federal law enforcement should handle prosecuting Snowden.