US creates fear to rationalize its policies towards Americans: Gravel

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: There are various theories as to what, actually, is going on and causing the closure of these embassies. One theory is, and I would like to get your opinion on that, is budget constraints and the US is too embarrassed to point out that these budget constraints are limiting their operations abroad. What do you make of that?

Gravel: No, I do not think that that is the case. I think that these may be legitimate threats that they foresee, but the threats, where they exist and how they exist, I do not think that they know and also this creates a climate that we are under attack and rationalizes the extreme activities of the government towards the people.

Press TV: Senator Gravel, this is also very reminiscent of the Bush era where certain alerts were issued for the people, sending them into this constant state of fear and then we saw the issuing of the Patriot Act and whatnot. Do you think that the Obama administration could be deploying a very similar tactic?

Gravel: I not only think, I know. The Obama administration has done essentially what the Bush administration has done. Only they have done it in a very clever fashion by having the president making these wonderful speeches that really are for no substance but merely cosmetic assurances and so what I see going on today, is an effort to give rationale for the overall surveillances that is going on worldwide