It absolutely does not sound more sensible for the USG to be focusing the tools of foreign intelligence on its own citizens for drug enforcement. I didn't miss his point; his point is wrong. Using foreign intelligence for criminal justice does the opposite of legitimizing foreign intelligence programs.

Where are you getting "foreign intelligence" from, not only in the article - but in relation to what I am talking about?

>a DEA supervisor intervened and revealed that the tip had actually come through the SOD and from an NSA intercept.

So how is my point wrong? This is trying to prove that the secret use of NSA data to catch baddies is an important function of the program.

Important? Maybe. Legitimate? No. Legitim-izing? Absolutely not. Today's revelations make the NSA's programs even less legitimate.