As the end of 2013 approaches, the Washington Examiner is taking a look back at the biggest stories and issues of the year. Today, it’s the National Security Agency controversies over surveillance and drones.

The story took off in June, when former defense contractor Edward Snowden revealed himself as the source of the leaks of the U.S. government’s widespread monitoring of phone and Internet records to The Guardian newspaper. As the NSA dealt with the fallout from Snowden’s revelations, it also also had to deal with unwanted attention to its drone program.