Bush slams leak of terror finance story ["The disclosure of this program is disgraceful,"....]

Yahoo ^

[Sub-Driver]

Bush slams leak of terror finance story

10 minutes ago

President Bush on Monday sharply condemned the disclosure of a secret anti-terrorism program that taps into an immense international database of confidential financial records. "The disclosure of this program is disgraceful," he said.

"For people to leak that program and for a newspaper to publish it does great harm to the United States of America," Bush said. He said the disclosure of the program "makes it harder to win this war on terror."

The program has been going on since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. It was disclosed last week by several news organizations.

Using broad government subpoenas, the program allows U.S. counterterrorism analysts to obtain financial information from a vast database maintained by a company based in Belgium. It routes about 11 million financial transactions daily among 7,800 banks and other financial institutions in 200 countries.

"Congress was briefed and what we did was fully authorized under the law," Bush said, talking with reporters in the Roosevelt Room after meeting with groups that support U.S. troops in Iraq.

[Colt_45cal]

The Swiftgate scandal makes me sick... Bill Keller needs to be prosecuted, NOW

[GOPJ]

...at minimum, they are accessories after-the-fact in whatever crime the leaker(s) could be convicted of.......and very possibly Conspiracy to commit that crime and Obstruction of Justice if they refuse to testify before a Grand Jury in the investigation of the actual leaker.

Good points.

[Cicero]

It's nothing but words until he does something about it.

President Bush is chief of the executive branch. He has the power to instruct his Attorney General to take action against those responsible. If the Attorney General doesn't like it, he can resign.

Bush has a duty and responsibility to his country. It's not a matter of being "nice" and "polite" to people. It's a matter of defending our country against its enemies, external and internal.

Words mean nothing without actions.

[Jesyca]

The A.G. was on Rush's show today and literally laughed at the idea of prosecuting anyone for anything.

---

Fair enough,

How about if I laugh my butt off when a dirty bomb goes off in a NYC subway tunnel?

I'm about ready to write that group of cosmopolitan, holier than thou, elites off.

[windchime]

Following is a list of the advertisers in today's online edition of the NY Times.  Frankly, I was surprised that there weren't more.  Perhaps the list can be expanded by those who have access to the print edition.

50 Pine Street - http://www.50pine.com/

About - http://about.com/

American Express - http://home.americanexpress.com/home/mt_personal.shtml

Bankrate.com - http://www.bankrate.com/brm/default.asp

Benzel-Busch Motor Car Corp.- http://www.benzel-busch.com/mbcenter/b/index.jhtml

Brown Harris Stevens - http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/

C/Net - http://www.cnet.com/

Canon - http://www.canon.com/

Central Intelligence Agency - http://www.cia.gov/

Chase - http://www.chase.com/

Citibank - http://www.citibank.com/us/d.htm

Citi Habitats New York - http://www.citi-habitats.com/

Continental Airlines - http://www.continental.com/

Credit Protect X3 - http://www.identityguard.com/se/landing_se_fam.asp

Crestor -  http://www.crestor.com/

Dell -  http://www.dell.com/

E-Trade Financial - https://us.etrade.com/e/t/home

Eberhart Rentals - http://www.eberhartbros.com/neighborhood.php

Edmunds.com - http://www.edmunds.com/

Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center - http://www.nyhealth.gov/facilities/nursing/facility_characteristics/pfi3984.htm

Fidelity - https://www.fidelity.com/frameless_pr_B.shtml

Google - http://www.google.com/

Halstead Property - http://www.halstead.com/

Hewlett Packard - http://www.hp.com/

Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate Centers - http://www.houlihanlawrence.com/

K. Hovnanian's  Builders - http://www.khov.com/Home/Brands/KHV/BrandHome.htm

Lenovo - http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/

Manhattan Mortgage - http://www.manhattanmortgage.com/

Mercedes Benz Tri-State Dealers - Ad Campaign...  http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/19971013/press007080.html

Miller Samuel Real Estate Appraisers & Consultants - http://www.millersamuel.com/

NY City Department of Education - http://schools.nycenet.edu/d75/default.htm

Pair Networks - http://www.pair.com/

Quebec - http://www.bonjourquebec.com/us-en/villes0.html

Related Rentals - http://www.relatedrentals.com/

Rockrose Development Corp. - http://www.rockrosenyc.com/home_frameset.jsp

Samsung - http://www.samsung.com/

Scottrade - http://www.scottrade.com/

State Farm - http://www.statefarm.com/

T Mobile - http://www.t-mobile.com/

 

[upchuck]

You're welcome. I've had it with the treasonous LSM!!

[rscully]

rockthecasbah wrote:

"1. Prosecute NYT reporters under Sedition Act, or

2. Subpoena NYT reporters and compel them to divulge names of leakers in the government. When they refuse to divulge, jail them for contempt and let them rot.

Did I leave anything out?"

Yes: Also take away their press credentials, then put them in a tank with sharks sporting freakin' laser beams on their freakn'heads. Or, send them to the middle of the "Triangle of Death" in Iraq sporting "Death to Allah" T-shirts.

In any case, I'm sure more realistic means of dealing with this will surface. This is just my gut reaction.

This is treason and should be prosecuted as such.

[Jameison]

"Special Prosecutor! Investigate, Indict, Try, Sentence and EXECUTE!........."

Excellent idea.

[Taggart_D]

If Bush wants to show the world and the terrorist he means business he will go after the NYT reporters and punish them for what happened. Bush's failure to do so will do just as much to encourage the enemy. Bush needs to strengthen his backbone as its getting a bit weak these days.

[the invisib1e hand]

I said Saturday, pardon me if I say so again: The NYT was given the rope. It has hung itself.

Let's party!

[AndyJackson]

Nobody knew who SWIFT was until the story was published.

Actually, anyone who does business overseas knows who/what SWIFT is because it is through them that you transfer money via a vehicle known as a wire transfer. Until the WOT you could send your bank a wire transfer order now and it would be there 24-48 hrs later. It is how you pay for things overseas. After 9/11 anyone who did any business overseas started getting a lot of detailed requests for information, visits to your office, etc., and it know takes 5 days or so, I guess so that everyone enroute can clear who the money is going from and to.

No, for anyone doing wire transfers on a routine basis there was absolutely no question that it was being monitored.

[bnelson44]

I said Saturday, pardon me if I say so again: The NYT was given the rope. It has hung itself.

I don't think it will. I think that unless the President actually prosecutes them, they will come out of this with increased circulation and greater stature.

[bnelson44]

Special Prosecutor!

You really want to wait 5 years?

[teletech]

Show of hands here. How many of you actually think ANYBODY at the NYT will actually be prosecuted? I say ZERO! I'd love to believe otherwise and I know they certainly deserve to be prosecuted but I doubt they will be.

[generationfixit]

Is it me or are you guys starting to get the feeling that these newspapers are doing these things to BECOME the news....like getting their own personal press release?

I get this nagging feeling they love the fact that the President and the V.P. are chorusing their names for a form of advertising....I mean they have the story to sell papers but the after effects they must feel will sell even more. Why else would they do this? Well obviously they hate GW or Republicans in general but I think they are also trying to bring their stock price up...I will be looking at the stock market tomorrow.

[KoRn]

I wonder if he sits down to piss? I would bet money on it!

[Alouette]

Abraham Lincoln would have hanged their treasonous arses.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"But if he doesn't DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT then these leaks are just well marketed press releases."

Absolutely. Holding your breath and kicking the dirt with your sneakers ain't gonna cut it. Bush doesn't have another election to lose. Wait after the midterms, and then publicly arrest the editor of the Slimes and march him out to a paddy wagon.

[freema]

I'm not impressed, either.

[IPWGOP]