Bush Authorized Domestic Spying

The Washington Post ^ | December 16, 2005 | Dan Eggen

[End Times Sentinel]

President Bush signed a secret order in 2002 authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in the United States, despite previous legal prohibitions against such domestic spying, sources with knowledge of the program said last night.

The super-secretive NSA, which has generally been barred from domestic spying except in narrow circumstances involving foreign nationals, has monitored the e-mail, telephone calls and other communications of hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of people under the program, the New York Times disclosed last night.

The aim of the program was to rapidly monitor the phone calls and other communications of people in the United States believed to have contact with suspected associates of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups overseas, according to two former senior administration officials. Authorities, including a former NSA director, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, were worried that vital information could be lost in the time it took to secure a warrant from a special surveillance court, sources said.

[End Times Sentinel]

Thank God Dan Eggen and Dana Priest and their comrades at the NY Times weren't around for D-Day or we'd all be speaking German or lamp shades.

Anything to throw attention off the Iraqi Elections.

Personally, I'm glad we're monitoring people with al Qaeda ties, but the WaPo and NYT seem more concerned in protecting the privacy of our enemies.  Tell me again why Conservatives say liberals hate America?

Owl_Eagle

"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in.  I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"

-Hillary Clinton

(Yes, she really said that

Peggy Noonan

The Case Against Hillary Clinton, pg 55)

[Mo1]

What were you saying last night??

[mnehring]

sources said

The real criminal here.. giving away national security interests to an enemy propaganda machine, the NYT.

[freeperfromnj]

The President's numbers have gone way up. Time for the Compost and the NY Slimes to trump up another smear campaign.

[Always Right]

President Bush signed a secret order in 2002 authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in the United States

This leak upsets me a heck of a lot more than the non-leak of the slut Valarie Plume.

[Zionist Conspirator]

I'll bet the lefties and the "palaeos" are having a party over this. Both camps are very strident in maintaining "traditional American rights and liberties" but their heroes are foreign dictators (Castro, Franco, etc.) who could care less how "small" their governments are.

[NeoCaveman]

Ok, who leaked?

Are we going to have a prosecutor look into this?

(/sound of crickets chirping)

[ClearCase_guy]

Three cheers for President Bush and the NSA! Hip Hip Hooray! I thank God that they are working to protect us from terrorist attacks!

If they weren't doing this, and an attack came, the NYT would be the first to say, "Why didn't the president do more to prevent this?"

[ladtx]

The super-secretive NSA, which has generally been barred from domestic spying except in narrow circumstances involving foreign nationals, has monitored the e-mail, telephone calls and other communications of hundreds, and perhaps thousands,...

...perhaps millions, maybe even billions and billions, oh-oh the horror of it all!!!!

[Brilliant]

"It is, I believe, the first time a president has authorized government agencies to violate a specific criminal prohibition and eavesdrop on Americans."

He's gotta be kidding.

[Baby Driver]

The Democrat Legacy: Shirking & Cowardice
in the face of the Enemy.

[Pondman88]

What a Piece of S*** story. The NSA is protecting our lives, and the only thing the NY Times can do is cry like little babies and put our country at risk. The NSA should monitor international calls, domestic calls, whatever it takes to preserve this country from attack.

[Eagles Talon IV]

"The sources, who demanded anonymity, said there were conditions under which it would be possible to gather and retain information on Americans if the surveillance were part of an investigation into foreign intelligence. But those cases are supposed to be minimized.

The sources said the actual work of the NSA is so closely held that it is difficult to determine whether it is acting within the law.

These 2 paragraphs are all that are necessary to show this is a 2 page article about NOTHING. Define "minimized" for me, will you? The author admits there are conditions under which this sort of surveillance can be done and then fails to show or even indicate the conditions were not met. The left is showing it's anti American, pro terrorist colors again.

[USF]

Hey Bushbashers, I supposed he went back in time using the Haliburton time machine and authorized the Feds "magic lantern" or the NSA's "echelon" too.

Nope, no domestic spying there, or monitoring of email, international calls to and from the US. It's never been done until this President in 2002!

[Aussie Dasher]

The President is doing his job. Good on him. Well done!

[peyton randolph]

The NSA should monitor international calls, domestic calls, whatever it takes to preserve this country from attack.

With the MSM aiding and abetting the enemy, I hope the NSA is monitoring all calls to and from reporters at NY Slimes, Washington Compost, etc. Wouldn't surprise me if these cretins served as couriers for the enemy on international trips to demonstrate their 'neutrality.'

[FlipWilson]

Terrorists given a bill of rights.
The Patriot Act Filibustered.
National Security Secrets selectively leaked.
The 9/11 Commission complaining, not enough being done.

It all boils down to a sad reality. Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are slowly, but surely, being placed in the same "hands tied" position they were prior to 9/11, if not an even more restricted position. Yet, YET, the 9/11 commission recognized how restricted the President, law enforcement and the intelligence agencies were prior to 9/11. Still, the 9/11 commissioners are out there harping about how Bush has not done enough to protect us, while completely ignoring the fact that instead of doing more to protect us, the dems are trying to do less, significantly less.

The left is really saying, "Do something Mr. President to protect us. . .just don't do anything that will actually protect us!!!"

Based on this conundrum, there is NO other conclusion to reach but that the left WANTS another terrorist attack on this country. They are doing everything in their power to ensure it, after all. Then, in the aftermath, they can blame Bush and use the attack as a vehicle to reclaim power. Oh sure, hundreds, thousands, hell, even millions of us may die. But what the hell, the dead only vote democrat anyway.

Just as the President took on the dems when they tried to claim he faked intelligence (as if their statements from the Clinton years would be forgotten), he must now call it plain. He must tell the American people that the actions being taken by the democrats are putting this country at risk in the name of political gain. If he did this, even in a mild form, it would be devastating politically to the democrats. But, most importantly, it would increase the safety and security of this nation, a prime responsibility, I believe, of the President of the United States.

[chgomac]

"He must tell the American people that the actions being taken by the democrats are putting this country at risk in the name of political gain"

The MSM & the democrats must believe that citizens don't notice that on the day when GREAT HISTORICAL IRAQ VOTING took place, they decided it was the right time to release a story that they sat on for a year.....so they pick today to release what should never have been reported at all.

Traitors!

[massgopguy]

Ever hear of The Bund?

[Just A Nobody]

Go to post #84 here...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1541387/posts?q=1&&page=51

SoD Rumsfeld and Gen. Pace are having a telephoto conference with Gen. Casey ... there are the WWII posters of Uncle Sam saying "We Are At War" all over the place. Very interesting.....