Posted on 12/17/2005 8:29:40 AM PST by blogblogginaway
RADIO ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION
The Roosevelt Room
10:06 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.
As President, I took an oath to defend the Constitution, and I have no greater responsibility than to protect our people, our freedom, and our way of life. On September the 11th, 2001, our freedom and way of life came under attack by brutal enemies who killed nearly 3,000 innocent Americans. We're fighting these enemies across the world. Yet in this first war of the 21st century, one of the most critical battlefronts is the home front. And since September the 11th, we've been on the offensive against the terrorists plotting within our borders.
One of the first actions we took to protect America after our nation was attacked was to ask Congress to pass the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act tore down the legal and bureaucratic wall that kept law enforcement and intelligence authorities from sharing vital information about terrorist threats. And the Patriot Act allowed federal investigators to pursue terrorists with tools they already used against other criminals. Congress passed this law with a large, bipartisan majority, including a vote of 98-1 in the United States Senate.
Since then, America's law enforcement personnel have used this critical law to prosecute terrorist operatives and supporters, and to break up terrorist cells in New York, Oregon, Virginia, California, Texas and Ohio. The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do: it has protected American liberty and saved American lives.
Yet key provisions of this law are set to expire in two weeks. The terrorist treat to our country will not expire in two weeks. The terrorists want to attack America again, and inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that law enforcement and intelligence officials have the tools they need to protect the American people.
The House of Representatives passed reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Yet a minority of senators filibustered to block the renewal of the Patriot Act when it came up for a vote yesterday. That decision is irresponsible, and it endangers the lives of our citizens. The senators who are filibustering must stop their delaying tactics, and the Senate must vote to reauthorize the Patriot Act. In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment.
To fight the war on terror, I am using authority vested in me by Congress, including the Joint Authorization for Use of Military Force, which passed overwhelmingly in the first week after September the 11th. I'm also using constitutional authority vested in me as Commander-in-Chief.
In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. Before we intercept these communications, the government must have information that establishes a clear link to these terrorist networks.
This is a highly classified program that is crucial to our national security. Its purpose is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks against the United States, our friends and allies. Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk. Revealing classified information is illegal, alerts our enemies, and endangers our country.
As the 9/11 Commission pointed out, it was clear that terrorists inside the United States were communicating with terrorists abroad before the September the 11th attacks, and the commission criticized our nation's inability to uncover links between terrorists here at home and terrorists abroad. Two of the terrorist hijackers who flew a jet into the Pentagon, Nawaf al Hamzi and Khalid al Mihdhar, communicated while they were in the United States to other members of al Qaeda who were overseas. But we didn't know they were here, until it was too late.
The authorization I gave the National Security Agency after September the 11th helped address that problem in a way that is fully consistent with my constitutional responsibilities and authorities. The activities I have authorized make it more likely that killers like these 9/11 hijackers will be identified and located in time. And the activities conducted under this authorization have helped detect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.
The activities I authorized are reviewed approximately every 45 days. Each review is based on a fresh intelligence assessment of terrorist threats to the continuity of our government and the threat of catastrophic damage to our homeland. During each assessment, previous activities under the authorization are reviewed. The review includes approval by our nation's top legal officials, including the Attorney General and the Counsel to the President. I have reauthorized this program more than 30 times since the September the 11th attacks, and I intend to do so for as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from al Qaeda and related groups.
The NSA's activities under this authorization are thoroughly reviewed by the Justice Department and NSA's top legal officials, including NSA's general counsel and inspector general. Leaders in Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times on this authorization and the activities conducted under it. Intelligence officials involved in this activity also receive extensive training to ensure they perform their duties consistent with the letter and intent of the authorization.
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, so long as I'm the President of the United States.
Thank you.
END 10:13 A.M. EST
It was linked to defense funding.
Check out Hugh Hewitt's website at www.hughhewitt.com. He has the four senators (RINOS) who are opposing the renewal of the Patriot Act. Call them or e-mail them with your protests! I called them this morning - altho Sununu's voice mail is full so I e-mailed him.
I suspect Jay Rockefeller is the leak.
The anti everyone people are creeping out of the woodwork; but now they're gone I see. Can't fool the mods or freepers for long.
And they always are SURE they can.
Republicans in the Senate are no better in the war on terrorism than the leftist Democrap. Frist has totally lost control. If anyone is now running the Senate, it's McLame and his gang. I thought on 9/11 this country had finally come to its senses. Now, a short 4 years later, it's back to politics and business as usual.
Since they had this in their article today:
Before yesterday's vote, opponents of the legislation rallied around a front page article in Thursday's New York Times that reported Mr. Bush had secretly lifted certain limits on spying inside the United States. After more than a year holding the story, the paper decided to run it on the day of the Patriot Act vote.
..I'd sure like to know.
Since they had this in their article today:
Before yesterday's vote, opponents of the legislation rallied around a front page article in Thursday's New York Times that reported Mr. Bush had secretly lifted certain limits on spying inside the United States. After more than a year holding the story, the paper decided to run it on the day of the Patriot Act vote.
Whoops. Looks like something got by the editor.
Where is a SERIES Special Prosecuter when you need one?
Which sounds like throwin down the Impeachment gauntlet. These idiot dhimmies are throwing around "illegal actions" pretty carelessly. I hope W confronts them directly and calls them out.
The Constitution Party, which Baldwin is a part of, is a party of Bush hating, open border clowns, and they're against the WOT in general.
Lew Rockwell, well, he's a NUTJOB! too, and he's never liked anything about this president either.
To: Laverne
I wonder why he didn't mention this...
NYT 'SPYING' SPLASH TIED TO BOOK RELEASE
Fri Dec 16 200 11:27:16 ET
**Exclusive**
Newspaper fails to inform readers "news break" is tied to book publication
On the front page of today's NEW YORK TIMES, national security reporter James Risen claims that "months after the September 11 attacks, President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States... without the court approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying, according to government officials."
Risen claims the White House asked the paper not to publish the article, saying that it could jeopardize continuing investigations and alert would-be terrorists that they might be under scrutiny.
Risen claims the TIMES delayed publication of the article for a year to conduct additional reporting.
But now comes word James Risen's article is only one of many "explosive newsbreaking" stories that can be found -- in his upcoming book -- which he turned in 3 months ago!
The paper failed to reveal the urgent story was tied to a book release and sale.
"STATE OF WAR: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration" is to be published by FREE PRESS in the coming weeks, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.
Carisa Hays, VP, Director of Publicity FREE PRESS, confirms the book is being published.
The book editor of Bush critic Richard Clarke [AGAINST ALL ENEMIES] signed Risen to FREE PRESS.
Developing...
Drudge Report
4 posted on 12/16/2005 11:37:42 PM EST by kcvl
From this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1542171/posts
Me too. Is there one among them with any scruples?
I've traveled the course from voting for McClam in the primaries, to hoping each and every day that he heads off to a nursing home asap and disappears.............
Why doesn't he just get lost, or change parties?????
I'd have more respect if he would start a new party or something.
James Risen, NYT reporter, has a book coming out in January titled STATE OF WAR; THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE CIA AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
The review and desire to make $$$ selling the book was supposedly the ruse the NYT used to reveal classified info....we all know the REAL reason was to torpedo the Patriot Act...and dummy senators grabbed the bait.
Get real!! Every RAT in the country knows they can do anything they want without fear of accountablity because of the protections of our left-wing, biased, treasonous press. Man, I ____ those people!!! They're willing to put our whole existence at risk in order to try to regain power. ANYONE VOTING FOR A RAT IS AN IDIOT!!!
The ABLE DANGER report, had it been used, might have prevented 9/11.
You really do need to bone up on WHEN the Patriot Act was passed. It did not exist prior to 9/11, so how can you say that it would not have prevented 9/11?
If this isn't the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back to keep Bush on the attack then I don't know what else could. It seems the Rats have tried this trick one to many times on matters they've been briefed in on and now the rat bastards screw with national security...this needs to blow up in their faces big time.
Something tells me I've got a better chance of being struck by lightning than getting blown up should the sixteen controversial parts of the patriot act expire.
The police can do just fine finding terrorists without this. This act serves nothing but to make America look like a police state. I heard Andrew Napolotano express very clearly last night on Fox News how useless some of these provisions are. If they want to invade someones' privacy, they better have a reason, some evidence and a judge's clearance.
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