Bush acknowledges allowing eavesdropping: Order ‘consistent’ with ‘constitutional responsibilities’
There’s not a single senator or member of Congress who thought we were authorizing wiretaps. If he needs a wiretap, the authority is already there — the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act. They can ask for a warrant to do that and even if there’s an emergency situation they can go for 72 hours as long as they give notice at the end of 72 hours.
- Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
This just in…it’s now acceptable for our government to spy on it’s own citizens. The reason? Repeat after me: 9.11…9.11…9.11…ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Amazing what we’re now expected to allow our government to do in our name, isn’t it? Land of the free? Well, it would appear that “free” ain’t worth what it used to be.
Conceptually, I can understand that it might indeed necessary to engage in this sort of behavior. Realisitically, though, 9.11 was not perpetrated by Americans. The nineteen hijackers were of Arab descent, and none carried American passports. What possible value could eavesdropping on American citizens have…unless a judge is provided with conclusive evidence that might warrant such a step? For a President to authorize the National Security Administration, or any other government agency, to eavesdrop on an American citizen’s electronic communications on a mere suspicion is simply beyond the pale.
The 51% of y’all who voted for Our Glorious Leader? Feel free to stand up and take a bow. ‘cuz this one’s on you. Still glad you voted for Bush? How that whole “Freedom is on the march” thing working out for you? Not so much. Well, you had your chance…but then again voting Republican certainly IS easier than thinking, isn’t it?
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush acknowledged on Saturday that he authorized the National Security Agency “to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations” and said leaks to the media about the program were illegal.
Sources have told CNN that Bush signed a secret order in 2002 allowing the NSA to eavesdrop on Americans and others in the United States who are communicating with people overseas. The story was first reported Friday in The New York Times.
During an unusual live, on-camera version of his weekly radio address, Bush said such authorization is “fully consistent” with his “constitutional responsibilities and authorities.”
“This is highly classified program crucial to our national security” and “its purpose is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks,” Bush said.
“The existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports after being improperly given to news organizations,” Bush said. “Unauthorized disclosure damages our national security and puts our nation at risk.
“Revealing this information is illegal.”
Technically, it may well be illegal, but sometimes it necessary to break a law to embarrass an Administration also willing to break the law when it serves it’s purpose. When it comes to making it public that our government is now ready, willing, and apparently, able to spy on Americans with a simple order from Our Glorious Leader, it would seem that the real problem here is not any potential illegality committed by the leaker, but the very real embarrassment this revelation will cause the Administration. THIS ought to be a challenge to spin effectively…not that Our Glorious Leader isn’t already furiously attempting to do exactly that.
During an interview Friday for PBS’ “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” Bush said he understood that people want him to confirm or deny the Times report, but he couldn’t discuss specifics because “it would compromise our ability to protect the people,” according to a transcript of the program.
The New York Times report said the NSA has monitored international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants during the past three years as part of its war on terror.
So, you or I could be monitored, if for no other reason than someone thinks it necessary and prudent to do so, and they are then able to obtain permission from Our Glorious Leader. WTF? Have we completely lost our bearings? Are we now expected to acquiesce in the erosion of our privacy for the “Greater Good” of protecting us from the Bad Guys?
What is even more offensive is that the Administration successfully lobbied the New York Times to suppress this story…which the Newspaper of Record did for a full year. After all, loose lips sink ships, eh?
Propaganda never sleeps (apologies to Neil Young)….
Bill Keller, the Times’ executive editor, said in a statement that the newspaper postponed publication of the article for a year at the White House’s request as editors pondered the national security issues surrounding the release of the information.
But after considering the legal and civil liberties aspects, and determining that the story could be written without jeopardizing intelligence operations, the paper ran the story, Keller said, emphasizing that information about many NSA eavesdropping operations is public record.
“What is new is that the NSA has for the past three years had the authority to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States without a warrant,” Keller said. “It is that expansion of authority — not the need for a robust anti-terror intelligence operation — that prompted debate within the government, and that is the subject of the article.”
You know, I can’t help but think that if we were talking about a Democratic President being involved in this sort of extracurricular activity, the hue and cry and gnashing of teeth would be heard far and wide to the far corners of the realm. Republicans would be demanding that the President be impeached…and they might just have an airtight argument. Here we have a Republican President engaged in questionable, certainly immoral, and perhaps even illegal behavior, and…well, I’m still waiting for the righteous indignation from the Democratic side of the aisle. And we may well be waiting for some time to come.
Jeez, guys, grow some balls, willya?
