NSA: A Thought Experiment

Let's assume, for the sake of discussion, that the Patriot Act is repealed and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is revised to prohibit the blanket surveillance warrants that the FISC issues. Hell, let's even assume that there is a privacy advocate which has the job of going before the FISC to argue against those blanket search warrants.

Does anyone truly believe that the NSA would obey the law?

I don't. They'd do it all anyway. Even if they didn't, directly, they'd enter into deals with their Canadian and British counterparts along the lines of: "You spy on our citizens, we'll spy on yours and we'll all share what we find."

Trusting a spy not to break the law is like trusting a dog not to lick its ass.