Domestic spying

[mindseye]

Just when I thought this administration could sink no lower ...

Unbelievable.

[chequita guevara]

This administration makes me look more and more reasonable.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by The diplomat
This story is troubling. But, we need to realize that some form of spying and some form of interrogation of terrorists is necessary

Peace groups == terrorists!?!

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
You know all that **** you people said wasn't gonna happen? It's happening.

Well, duh.

Fortunately, this is only the beginning. For the actual police state to enter into effect, you will need a second large-scale terror attack. Then, all the inhibitions of the politicians and of the American public will be lifted. For the time being, there are still too many people (Republicans even) who want their freedom.

[Kataphraktoi]

Originally posted by Spiffor
For the actual police state to enter into effect, you will need a second large-scale terror attack. Then, all the inhibitions of the politicians and of the American public will be lifted.

and when it happans, the end of our 'republic' will be heralded by thunderous applause

episode 3\america anyone?

[Odin]

Originally posted by mindseye
Just when I thought this administration could sink no lower ...

Unbelievable.

[Bosh]

without getting search warrants

Holy unconstitutionality Batman!

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
This administration makes me look more and more reasonable.

Scary, but true.

[Spiffor]

Just when I thought this administration could sink no lower ...

If you think about it, there is still immense room for the government to sink lower. You, me, all the inhabitants of free countries are living in absolutely fantastic countries. In countries that are completely different from everything that occured throughout human history.

Just think that our governments could have absolutely all power over us. They have, by far, an overwhelming force over civilians. They can pretty much be aware of our whereabouts at all times. Thanks to all the electronical devices, our governments have intelligence-gathering means that would be the wet dream of the East-German secret police.

This situation is soooooooooooo abuseable. And it's (mostly) not abused yet.

You think it can't get any worse? Just think of what a government can do with such power, if it feels it has a valid reason to be "rough".

[Kuciwalker]

I think this is an appropriate time for this smilie:

[duke o' york]

Domestic spying?
Maybe the government are just worried that you're seeing some other country's government behind their back.

[The Mad Monk]

Bush Acknowledges Approving Eavesdropping

By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press Writer
Dec 17 10:40 AM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Saturday he personally has authorized a secret eavesdropping program in the U.S. more than 30 times since the Sept. 11 attacks and he lashed out at those involved in publicly revealing the program. "This is a highly classified program that is crucial to our national security," he said in a radio address delivered live from the White House's Roosevelt Room.


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"This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that is exactly what I will continue to do as long as I am president of the United States," Bush said.

Angry members of Congress have demanded an explanation of the program, first revealed in Friday's New York Times and whether the monitoring by the National Security Agency violates civil liberties.

Defending the program, Bush said in his address that it is used only to intercept the international communications of people inside the United States who have been determined to have "a clear link" to al- Qaida or related terrorist organizations.

He said the program is reviewed every 45 days, using fresh threat assessments, legal reviews by the Justice Department, White House counsel and others, and information from previous activities under the program.

Without identifying specific lawmakers, Bush said congressional leaders have been briefed more than a dozen times on the program's activities.

The president also said the intelligence officials involved in the monitoring receive extensive training to make sure civil liberties are not violated.

Appearing angry at times during his eight-minute address, Bush left no doubt that he will continue authorizing the program.

"I intend to do so for as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from al-Qaida and related groups," he said.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/17/D8EI32N00.html

[Sirotnikov]

You guys are funny.

You expect your intelligence agencies to pick up every terrorist threat coming from a foreign power or terrorist group, and yet you fail to provide them with the tools they need.


In order to pick up the tracks of terrorists, you need to monitor lots and lots of suspicious people. Naturally - only a small bunch of them will eventually turn out to be an actual threat.

However - the intelligence agency does not know in advance, which suspect will turn out to be a threat and which suspect will not! If it knew, it would be psychic!

One could for instance, limit the scope of monitoring only to ties of well known terrorist groups. However, that will eventually lead to a lack of discovery of new autonomous groups which are not linked to any known terrorist.

The monitoring of mostly harmless civilians and suspect actions, is needed in order to pick up sense of new and previously unknown gorups or suspects.


Intelligence gathering is not magic. It can't automatically gather intelligence only on bad people. You don't know who is bad in advance. You need to set a certain rule of suspicion, beyond which you automatically begin to monitor some people. Only after a while, can you discern, whether they are really 'bad people' or 'good people' who behave in similar patterns.

[Jon Miller]

but why monitor peace groups?

when has that ever been a field for terrorists?

Jon Miller

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Drudge dug up somthing of interest:

Have you noticed that everytime the Repugs are caught with their hand in the cookie jar that within a few hours, a smear campaign is launched against the person who blows the whistle on them??