▁It ▁is ▁the ▁gift ▁they ▁need ▁to ▁e va de ▁us ▁and ▁strike ▁at ▁will ." ▁ ▁That ▁same ▁month , ▁the ▁Fin an cial ▁Times ▁editor ial ized ▁that ▁security ▁chief s ▁were ▁" right ▁to ▁be ▁al ar med , ▁knowing ▁that ▁terror ists ▁can ▁change ▁their ▁mod us ▁oper and i ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁new ▁information ▁on ▁their ▁capabilities " ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁" no ▁firm ▁evidence ▁that ▁the ▁intelligence ▁ag encies ▁are ▁using ▁these ▁new ▁collection ▁capabilities ▁for ▁m align ▁ends ." ▁ ▁U . S . ▁responses ▁ ▁Executive ▁branch ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁U . S . ▁Director ▁of ▁National ▁Int elligence ▁James ▁R . ▁Cla pper , ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁surve ill ance ▁activities ▁l ately ▁reported ▁in ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁and ▁The ▁Guardian , ▁str essed ▁the ▁activities ▁were ▁law ful , ▁conducted ▁under ▁authorities ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Congress , ▁and ▁that ▁" sign ific ant ▁mis im press ions " ▁had ▁resulted ▁from ▁the ▁articles ▁published ; ▁he ▁called ▁the ▁dis clos ures ▁of ▁" int elligence ▁community ▁measures ▁used ▁to ▁keep ▁Americans ▁safe " ▁" reck less ". ▁He ▁condem ned ▁the ▁le aks ▁as ▁having ▁done ▁" h uge , ▁grave ▁damage " ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁intelligence ▁capabilities . ▁ ▁That ▁same ▁day , ▁a ▁We ▁the ▁People ▁pet ition ▁was ▁launched ▁via ▁the ▁white house . gov ▁website ▁seeking ▁" a ▁full , ▁free ▁and ▁absolute