President Obama Goal For Quick Revamp Of NSA Program May Be Unworkable, Some US Officials Fear

US officials directed by President Barack Obama to find a way to end the government’s role in gathering Americans’ phone records are deeply concerned that there may be no feasible way to accomplish the task soon, according to individuals familiar with the discussions.

Even among US officials who applauded the recommendation in principle, there is a growing worry that the President’s goals are unattainable in the near future, officials said. Telephone companies have said they do not want to be responsible for the database, and no one has come up with a workable idea for how a third party could hold the records. No meeting has been scheduled between government officials and the phone companies to discuss the issue, and no decision has been made about approaching the companies to further discuss the possibility of them holding the records. Other officials, including many in the intelligence community, said they are skeptical that a new system could balance national security and privacy interests better than the one that exists.

Some former intelligence officials said they thought President Obama’s team would pull through. “Clapper and Attorney General Holder will meet the deadline because that’s what you do,” said John McLaughlin, a former deputy CIA director. He added: “I’m guessing they’ll present some options. What the president would be looking for is a playbook -- not just a concept but, ‘Here’s how we would propose to do it . . . and here’s how you would turn it on.’ ”