Watch HBO's John Oliver Prod Former NSA Chief


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Keith-alexanderGen. Keith Alexander, former head of the NSA, stands on the dais before he testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 12, 2014.

Image: Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press



Former NSA Chief Gen. Keith Alexander appeared in the first episode of John Oliver's new HBO show Last Week Tonight on Sunday to defend the U.S. spy agency's actions during his eight-year tenure.


Alexander called himself the "biggest advocate of freedom of the networks, Internet." The former NSA chief also said he thinks Edward Snowden has no idea of the damage he's done leaking thousands of top secret documents to journalists.



When Oliver asked him: "What would you like Snowden to know right now, other than significantly less?" Alexander responded saying he'd like to be able to tell him about all the damage his leaks have done, "so he knows in his heart, and he would have to live with that the rest of his life."


"Do you understand what you've done?" Alexander said he would tell Snowden. "I don't think he understands the true damage that he's done."


During the nearly 10-minute interview, the former Daily Show reporter grilled Alexander probably more than anybody has done to date.


"Is this the argument, then, that to get the needle, you need the haystack?" Oliver asked when Alexander said the only thing the NSA collects about Americans is their metadata, not the content of their communications.


"That's part of the argument," responded Alexander, before Oliver cut him off.


"Right, but people’s concern, I think, are that you’re not just taking the haystack. You’re taking the whole farm, and the county, and the state, and now you’ve got some photos of the farmer’s wife in the shower as well," quipped Oliver.


The interview also had its moments of hilarity. At a certain point, Alexander said he wishes terrorists would live on a separate part of the Internet, which would make it easier to target them. To which Oliver asked: "Are you talking about


"I thought you meant all the worst people in the world in one area, so I thought you were talking about Pinterest, cause that seems to be where they kind of assemble," Oliver joked. "They are the worst people."


"Sorry, I have not seen that," Alexander responded.


Watch Oliver's full interview with Alexander above.


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Topics: edward snowden, John Oliver, keith alexander, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, NSA, privacy, Television, U.S., US & World




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