Sweet Land Of Liberty...

[dgridley]

"President Bush has personally authorized a secretive eavesdropping program in the United States more than three dozen times since October 2001, a senior intelligence official said Friday night."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-16-20-26-05

December 15, 2005
Bush Secretly Lifted Some Limits on Spying in U.S. After 9/11, Officials Say
By JAMES RISEN
and ERIC LICHTBLAU

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 *- Months after the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for evidence of terrorist activity without the court-approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying, according to government officials.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/15/p...&ex=1135314000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

 

[CrazyTech]

As always, this leaves out a great deal of why this was done. The NSA has the full ability to tap into foreign phonecalls and listen to what they're saying. However, if suddenly the caller decides to contact a member in the states, as the law stands, we have to hangup. That could easily mean the difference between authorization for a bomb or terrorist act. We'd be stuck going for a court order to listen in on such a situation.

Number two, leaders of both parties in Congress knew about this for quite a while now. Why was it brought up? Because it's the right political time to do it. Apparently they don't have too much of an issue with it at the higher levels of both parties until it can get them a few votes.

 

[dgridley]

You're insightful as always.. thanks for commenting!

Just a heads up tho.. we all need to be aware of what's happening and the potential long term consequences. Regardless of why this is/was done, the potential exists for abuse.

As always, this leaves out a great deal of why this was done. The NSA has the full ability to tap into foreign phonecalls and listen to what they're saying. However, if suddenly the caller decides to contact a member in the states, as the law stands, we have to hangup. That could easily mean the difference between authorization for a bomb or terrorist act. We'd be stuck going for a court order to listen in on such a situation.

Number two, leaders of both parties in Congress knew about this for quite a while now. Why was it brought up? Because it's the right political time to do it. Apparently they don't have too much of an issue with it at the higher levels of both parties until it can get them a few votes.

 

[CrazyTech]

I agree completely. Perhaps there should be an independent body to review each circumstance after it happens to determine if any powers were abused or something of that nature but I believe that this ability is currently being used because it is needed so we need to find a way to reassure everyone but still be effective. We cannot let terrorists take advantage of loopholes or shortcomings in our own law.

That's a very difficult rope to walk indeed. I hate to revert back to history here, but Lincoln himself did a lot of far reaching things that raised howls from opposition just as they would these days. History showed he did the right thing and he did not abuse power and I don't believe this President will either. I believe history will ultimately show he as done the right thing and if we can hammer out some sort of safeguard now that would be great for everyone's peace of mind.

 

[dgridley]

This sort of thing, plus recent revelations of the CIA "secret prisons" (no surprise, really), are alarming.. I know we need to be vigilant and maybe these measures are needed under certain circumstances, but we mustn't allow our search for an everlasting peace come at a cost of reduced freedoms for the innocent.

I believe history will ultimately show he as done the right thing and if we can hammer out some sort of safeguard now that would be great for everyone's peace of mind.

 

[Ixix]

As always, this leaves out a great deal of why this was done. The NSA has the full ability to tap into foreign phonecalls and listen to what they're saying. However, if suddenly the caller decides to contact a member in the states, as the law stands, we have to hangup. That could easily mean the difference between authorization for a bomb or terrorist act. We'd be stuck going for a court order to listen in on such a situation.

Number two, leaders of both parties in Congress knew about this for quite a while now. Why was it brought up? Because it's the right political time to do it. Apparently they don't have too much of an issue with it at the higher levels of both parties until it can get them a few votes.

*sarcasm alert duck*

Uh huh....sure .... WHAT eVeR!

I wonder what the official name of the american secret police will be... We already have FBI & CIA.

Hmmmm, what about ASS for ' American Secret Service?' 'Better watch what you say about El presidente, or else his big powerful ASS might come knocking on your door one night and lock up you and your family'

I would expect that half of the nation would be outraged that this has occured, but once again 'it's for our safety, for the good of the american people and the possible, 1 in a million chance, of a pending-'might happen one day-you have better odds of dying in a car crash-terrorist attack '.

Explain it all away, but consider this. El presidente's number's are rock bottom, and the Rep's aren't as popular as they used to be. El presidente's campaign has been built on a platform of fear.

just consider the idea that with today's ability to manipulate audio, that there's a possiblity that El presidente's ASS brigade might slice and splice a phone conversation You are having with a friend, and turn it into a "terrorist" plot...

I mean really, his numbers are low, I wouldn't put it past him, and since legally he can't make himeself dictator,


Imagine one day, you're having this great converstaion with your buddy pal about counterstrike (my favorite game)

El Presidente's ASS takes your innocent conversations about bombing planes and sniping counterterrorists....and slice, splice, and dice, presto, you're now a terrorist.

Then one day, you get on a plane and say, "I'm going to see Mom" but an air marshall unloads his weapon into you cuz you really said, "I'm gonna set my Bomb". Tada! The Mighty Bush now saved us from YOU an evil terrorist, and his ASS has Your voice on tape as evidence to 'Prove' that you were some sick psycho that loved to talk about planting bombos on planes and sniping the counter terrorists. Your buddy pal now lives in guantanemo and shares a cell with some big guy named "BUB"

And we're afraid of the terrorists?

:yell:

Na, all joking aside, i'm not surprise, i knew phones have been tapped for a while... I just try to remember not to talk about politics or my latest terrorrist plot on the phone. Phone sex is safer :D!

 

[dgridley]

Hm, phone sex? I'm in the book.. call me!

As for the American Secret Service all I can say is :kickass:

Phone sex is safer :D!