Al Qaeda's Resurgence Poised To Further Complicate Surveillance Debate Within the GOP

Libertarian wing will have to explain how they would keep the country safe without extensive government surveillance

Al Qaeda's back, and its timing couldn't be worse for the Republicans who are taking on the national security wing of their party.

Edward Snowden reignited a debate over privacy and civil liberties that had fizzled in recent years. Just last week, civil libertarians were even picking up momentum on proposals to restrict the NSA's mass collection of Americans' phone records thanks to renewed attention in the media.