Posted on 12/23/2005 4:14:20 PM PST by EveningStar
"My own judgment is that - it didn't seem to me, anyway, that it would have been that hard to go and get the warrants. And even in the case of an emergency, you go and do it. The law provides for that. And three days later, you let the court know what you have done, and deal with it that way."
You have a nice profile page.
Makes me wonder why this "opinon" wasn't expressed four years ago? Surely we aren't to believe the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was kept in the dark?
This criticism and question from Powell would seem to be reasonable to me. Many of the Beavis and Buttheads who post here now will want to lynch him though.
I would hope that someone is listening in on all international calls and they are vetted for terriorist threats or collusion. But what I hear is that when you listen in on a conversation it has to be cleared with a judge. So how many thousands, possibly hundereds of thousands of calls do you think comes from abroad?
So every conversation has to be put before a judge? It just doesn't make any sense. If a conversation was to be used for additional intel or for prosecution then I would say, yes, get a judge to approve a warrent. But there's just no way you can approve warrents for ever call coming into the US.
WHY, isn't there more outrage about the Gorlick "wall". It seems to me there is more outrage against gathering intelligence than there is against terrorism.
Look, I live in a small town that will probably never be hit by terrorist. I wish the government would just stay out of my life. But they don't. Is it so hard to expect to gov't to keep track of the bad guys as it keeps track of me? I mean, you probably scanned your credit card at Wal-mart today. How hard do you think the Gov't would have finding that out?
At the very least, the gov't is trying to protect its citizens. They are being proactive. Would that your local police would do the same.
If it were up to me the gov't would protect the borders (which I belive they're doing by monitoring incoming calls), provide for the defense of the nation, honor the constitution, and stay the hell out of my life. But if I'm talking to a known terriorist then I want my gov't to know. Hey, I know people in the KKK. You bet the gov't knows what they are up to. Every KKK rally anywhere is monitored, and you don't see people up in arms over that. So please be consistent. Or not..
Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you!
Powell is entitled to his opinion. Powell would never do or say anything that would hurt this country. He spent too many years defending it. I respect Powell's opinion.
Like Brent Snowcroft, Powell's allegiance was to Bush the Elder. Both have gone out of their way to sabotage W since the Iraq War was launched. Powell is ticked off that he doesn't go down in history as the great peacemaker...and he wants to ensure that Condi doesn't eclipse him as SoS.
Powell can state whatever he desires, nonsensical or not. He is a private citizen and can no longer damage national security. Recall that as Chairman, JCS, he opposed the idea of taking Saddam down--contrary to the Secdef (Cheneys) recommendation.
John Kerry, is that you?
Big deal. Even Jeffrey Dahmer did a stint in the Army. Not equating him with Powell, but military service does not automatically turn you into an all-knowing being who cannot be questioned. See Murtha for a textbook example.
Powell is pure sour grapes.
You certainly picked an appropriate handle.
I wasn't gonna take that one to heart... I know I don't resemble Kerry... I don't have the right hair, for one.
Damn straight. 'Cause I don't sugarcoat anything. I say that Powell is a chicken-feces fool who has undermined the administration from day one, with his listless, milquetoast stint as Secretary of State as a prime example C'mon. You know and I know that Powell was picked SoS purely because of his race. Alan Keyes would have made a great SoS and he's much more qualified than Powell.
Powell's a closet Dem/socialist, his military service is irrelevant (but respectable) to what he has accomplished outside of it.
If you had asked me yesterday, if I thought this domestic surveillance stuff was a big deal, I would have laughed at you. But for now -- color me undecided.
Powell was National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan (1986)
While Keyes was an ambassador to a UN Economics Council.
Powell went on to become a 4 star General, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Keyes went on to run unsuccessfully for office a couple times, and then to a couple of equally unsuccessful runs as a talk show host.
Yeah - I can see that their resumes aren't even ~close~
I'm biased, I've met Powell, and found him to be a remarkably impressive presence in a room. He has a manner and carriage that conveys confidence and control. I haven't met Keyes in person but he seems nervous and jittery and he talks too fast like he's jacked up on too many espressos. Not exactly the kind of personality I'd pick for negotiations with sensitive foreign dignitaries... but that's just me. :~D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.