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
I can think of about 3,000 other people that probably had very similar thoughts prior to 9/11.
Guess I have to sympathize with the filibusterers in the Senate on this one. If the Patriot Act was ever to become permanent in its present form, I would be scared to death the next time that we have another Janet Reno in office to (mis)use it!
THIS statement is just flat out wrong.....
Bush may be a decent and honorable man, but he cannot possibly keep America safe without showing some leadership at home.
He's shown all kinds of leadership at home. Over and over and over again.
As I've said, if you'd just stick with stating your disagreement and stop trying to be cute with the "Bush caved" kind of line, and the "Bushbot" personal attacks against those of us who call you on it, you'll be better off.
The President was talking about keeping YOU safe this morning, and he's risking a whole lot to do so........and as far as I can tell, you're not risking a single thing to help him out, or keep your fellow citizens safe. Keep your comments about policy, and leave out the digs on his character.
You're still a newbie, and I'm just trying to help you out, OK?
Looks like riki joined just to yank your chain.
ROFLMAO.
Fool.
You are so right; it's a concerted effort; one like I've never seen in all my days.
She knows what she's talking about. The same cannot be said for you.
"I can think of about 3,000 other people that probably had very similar thoughts prior to 9/11."
Statistically those people would still be correct. The "renew the patriot act or we'll all die'; is fear-mongering.
And if I am not mistaken, the NYT was one of the ones who took Bob Woodward to the proverbial woodshed for not telling all he knew about Valerie Plame and the White House.
Live free or die.
And isn't it interesting that they came to this conclusion just in time for the publication of that book?????? A book that was finsihed FOUR MONTHS ago.
*Rolling my eyes*
Dead on.
Stupid is as stupid posts.
We Bushbots are magnets for metal shavings, which can be melted down.
Lots of newbies stirring the pot; they're probably all posting from those computers at the DNC.
"Stupid is as stupid posts."
The feeling is mutual.
"I've seen nobody saying that."
Take a look around. Plenty of "we need the act to prevent another attack" and "I want my family safe" posts.
Huh? Mine is not a "feeling." I made a declarative statement.
The Bubble Heads are in the DNC Bubble Room blowing bubbles...full of hot lib air, environmentally hazardous to their continued existence at FR.
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