Clinton NSA Eavesdropped on U.S. Calls

newsmax.com ^

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Clinton NSA Eavesdropped on U.S. Calls

During the 1990's under President Clinton, the National Security Agency monitored millions of private phone calls placed by U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries under a super secret program code-named Echelon.

On Friday, the New York Times suggested that the Bush administration has instituted "a major shift in American intelligence-gathering practices" when it "secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for evidence of terrorist activity without [obtaining] court-approved warrants."

But in fact, the NSA had been monitoring private telephone conversations on a much larger scale throughout the 1990s - all of it done without a court order, let alone a catalyst like the 9/11 attacks.

In February 2000, for instance, CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft introduced a report on the Clinton-era spy program by noting:

"If you made a phone call today or sent an e-mail to a friend, there's a good chance what you said or wrote was captured and screened by the country's largest intelligence agency. The top-secret Global Surveillance Network is called Echelon, and it's run by the National Security Agency."

NSA computers, said Kroft, "capture virtually every electronic conversation around the world."

Echelon expert Mike Frost, who spent 20 years as a spy for the Canadian equivalent of the National Security Agency, told "60 Minutes" that the agency was monitoring "everything from data transfers to cell phones to portable phones to baby monitors to ATMs."

Mr. Frost detailed activities at one unidentified NSA installation, telling "60 Minutes" that agency operators "can listen in to just about anything" - while Echelon computers screen phone calls for key words that might indicate a terrorist threat.

The "60 Minutes" report also spotlighted Echelon critic, then-Rep. Bob Barr, who complained that the project as it was being implemented under Clinton "engages in the interception of literally millions of communications involving United States citizens."

One Echelon operator working in Britain told "60 Minutes" that the NSA had even monitored and tape recorded the conversations of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond.

Still, the Times repeatedly insisted on Friday that the NSA surveillance under Bush had been unprecedented, at one point citing anonymously an alleged former national security official who claimed: "This is really a sea change. It's almost a mainstay of this country that the NSA only does foreign searches."

[doug from upland]

Hillary was doing the monitoring.

[Mad_as_heck]

Its always OK when the 'rats do something. Sicking the IRS on critics and blackmailing people with stolen FBI files is fine. Spying on our actual national enemies is a scandal.

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Has Her Thighness blasted Bush for this yet I wonder?

[Rome2000]

These people are actively trying to destroy the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America in time of war. They must be held accountable.

OFFICERS

Chairman Emeritus: Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger, age 71, $1,397,200 pay
(prior to title change)
Chairman; Publisher, The New York Times: Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., age
46, $960,200 pay (prior to promotion)
VC and SVP: Michael Golden, age 48
President and CEO: Russell T. Lewis, age 50, $882,235 pay (prior to promotion)
SVP Operations and Acting CFO: John M. O'Brien, age 54
SVP and Deputy COO: David L. Gorham, $796,000 pay
SVP Broadcasting, Real Estate, and Corporate Communications: Katharine
P. Darrow, age 53
SVP Corporate Development, New Ventures, and Electronic Businesses: Leonard
P. Forman, age 51
SVP Human Resources: Donald S. Schneider, age 50
SVP and General Counsel: Solomon B. Watson IV, age 52
Chairman and CEO, Globe Newspaper Co.: William O. Taylor, age 64, $789,653
pay
President, Magazine Group: James W. FitzGerald, age 58
President and Publisher, The Boston Globe: Benjamin B. Taylor, age 49
President, Regional Newspaper Group: James C. Weeks, age 54
VP, Secretary, and Corporate Counsel: Laura J. Corwin, age 52
VP Forest Products, Health, Safety, and Environmental Affairs; President
and General Manager, Forest Products Group: Stephen Golden, age 50
VP and Project Administrator: Donna C. Miele
VP Human Resources, The New York Times: Dennis L. Stern, age 50
VP and Corporate Controller: Stuart Stoller, age 41

LOCATION
Headquarters: 229 W. 43rd St., New York, NY 10036
Web Site: http://www.nytimes.com
Phone: 212-556-1234
Fax: 212-556-4011

[rlmorel]

Only the females...(sorry, couldn't resist)

[M203M4]

It would be surprising if any of this was NOT done...

[Peach]

Thanks for the ping. Added to my ongoing file about this matter. Because it's going to be very ugly next year unless the WH gets out in front of this and fast.

[OldFriend]

What about the privacy of the 900 Americans who had their FBI files sent to the Klintons.

[Arm_Bears]

The abuse of the IRS audit authority is why the Barrett Report must be made public.

[harpu]

Here's a lot more on Klinton's Echelon

[p23185]

Still, the Times repeatedly insisted on Friday that the NSA surveillance under Bush had been unprecedented, at one point citing anonymously an alleged former national security official who claimed: "This is really a sea change. It's almost a mainstay of this country that the NSA only does foreign searches."

The NYT's "leaker" didn't give them enough info, or the NYT refuses to print the entire truth. Take you pick.

[blogblogginaway]

60 Minutes transcript on Echelon

http://www.internetpirate.com/echelontranscript.htm

[RegulatorCountry]

"What about the privacy of the 900 Americans who had their FBI files sent to the Klintons."

They're now puppets-on-a-string.

[HighWheeler]

"Backstabbing, America-hating, communist, atheist, liars that they are!!!"


You forgot to add the street term for "poopy heads".

[beezdotcom]

Well, this news certainly makes what Bush has done OK. I feel so much better now.

Whether folks feel it's OK or not, it's important to demonstrate that it's not a Democrat/Republican issue, like the MSM is attempting to make it. It's also important to note that if you let the guy you like have a capability, it may be the guy you hate that uses it tomorrow (or used it yesterday).

[Rome2000]

THIS is the face of the enemy, Punch Sulzberger, the man responsible for the continued assault on the CIC.

What happened to Mary Mapes will pale in comparison compared to what is in store for this leftist crook and his comrades on 42st.

[359Henrie]

Which end of that cigar?

[p23185]

I'm certain this capability and practice goes back a lot further than the previous administration. There are just some things that we don't need to know. The sooner the MSM understands that, the better.

You could not be more correct. Some people need to go to prison for disclosing classified information. I keep posting - "Do you remember Ethel and Julius Rosenberg?"Ethel and Julius Rosenberg A fine set of traitors they were and now the entire MSM has picked up where they and their ilk left off. Aldrich Ames is another one that comes to mind.

[cookcounty]

"Well, this news certainly makes what Bush has done OK. I feel so much better now."

I'm all in favor of what Bush has done. . If Al-Qaeda ia calling you from Pakistan, your "civil liberties" to have a private phone call with terrorists be damned. How do you feel about the"vigilant" Dems blocking the release of the report on IRS abuse of taxpaying citizens for political gain?

[msf92497]

Yeah, well, it's been a helluva long week, and I'm spent.

I'd settle for "caca doody-heads" at this point.

Shoot, I forgot "hypocritical, self-loathing, vain (paradoxical, isn't it!), petty, vile, simpletons!!!"