Posted on 06/24/2006 5:58:31 AM PDT by StatenIsland
WASHINGTON - Vice President Cheney raked the media yesterday for exposing a secret Bush administration project to look into financial transactions of Americans as part of the war on terror. "What I find most disturbing about these stories is the fact that some of the news media take it upon themselves to disclose vital national security programs, thereby making it more difficult for us to prevent future attacks against the American people," Cheney grumbled at a GOP fund-raiser in Illinois. "That offends me."
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal first broke the story, infuriating Cheney, who has been on a crusade to get the press not to reveal programs the White House deems necessary to fight terror but have been denounced by some privacy advocates.
Earlier this week, Cheney said the news media should withhold publishing stories when the government asks them to, on the grounds of protecting national security.
The White House was upset last month when news leaked that it was eavesdropping on Americans without first getting warrants.
The White House contends it's not an invasion of Americans' privacy to sift through international financial records.
"This terrorist tracking program ... is really government at its best. It's responsible government. It's effective government. It's government that works," outgoing Treasury Secretary John Snow contended yesterday.
"This is not a fishing expedition. We're not simply trolling for data. We're not mining data. We are, rather, making precise inquiries," Snow said.
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government began secretly looking at records from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. The Belgium-based cooperative routes about $6 trillion daily between banks, brokerages, stock exchanges and other financial institutions. The program did not include looking at everyday transactions by ordinary Americans.
The records helped track Riduan Isamuddin, known as Hambali, the suspected Al Qaeda boss in Southeast Asia, according to The Times.
Note also the inaccuracy as he claims it was a project to "look into financial transactions of Americans as part of the war on terror." Clearly false, this is in the lead paragraph.
In the middle of the story he feels the need to remind his readers of the hysteria involving the "domestic wiretapping" story.
Finally, in the next-to-last paragraph, literally a throw-away, he contradicts his earlier assertions by admitting "The program did not include looking at everyday transactions by ordinary Americans."
Quite a writer that Kenneth, eh?
Now contrast this with an editorial in the SAME paper on the SAME day:
"Following the Money on Terror Trail
Actually, we find it comforting to learn that our terrorist-tracking officials are keeping a good sharp eye on international financial transactions. Actually, we'd be sort of horrified if we learned they were not doing this. Wouldn't you? Certainly seems sensible that the Treasury Department got access to a Belgian database of money matters worldwide, including wire transfers between folks suspected of bankrolling terrorists. Tapping into this database - Swift, it's called, for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication - is good police work.
So we'll not pay a lot of attention to howls that our precious civil liberties are being stolen away. These are coming from the people who wanted you to think the NSA electronic surveillance program meant Big Brother was listening every time you picked up the phone. They wanted you to think the Patriot Act meant snoopers were lurking every time you checked out a library book. They wanted you to think subway searches were about the most totalitarian thing ever. Now they want you to think you're being watched at the ATM.
Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey, co-chair of the Congressional Privacy Caucus, charges that the administration has "concocted" justifications for the financial-info lookout. And our own Rep. Carolyn Maloney gasps at the "possible invasion of privacy." Maloney concedes there may be no particular illegality involved here. But she wants immediate congressional hearings anyway. Sigh.
Speaking of vigilance, hats off to the feds re this Miami bunch busted for plotting attacks on U.S. soil. Granted, these guys appear to be more delusional morons than serious terrorists, but if you're going to go around pledging allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and scheming to blow up the Sears Tower, law enforcement is going to take an interest. Always good to see that the War on Terror is being fought."
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/429413p-362061c.html
That's the NY Daily News for you. Common sense editorials, nonsense news articles.
Isn't this something the 911 commission followup report criticized the US for not now doing?
The reporting of this bothers me. But what bothers me more is that there is(are) a mole(s) in the government that is leaking this. That's who needs to be skinned alive.
---What I find most disturbing about these stories is the fact that some of the news media take it upon themselves to disclose vital national security programs, thereby making it more difficult for us to prevent future attacks against the American people," Cheney grumbled at a GOP fund-raiser in Illinois. "That offends me."--
And me too!
Simple as the nose on your face: The entire Democrat Party and the Mainstream media are traitors to our country and both are guilty of treason and betrayal. The American people, unfortunately will only wake up when their loved ones and children are being slaughtered, because the Dems and MSM aided and abetted our enemies. The USA is going down, and the journey down the chute will be painful and horrific, but it will have been caused by the American people themselves. Time to wake up folks, the enemy is among us in more ways than one (Democrat Party/MSM).
"disclose vital national security programs"
Enough.
Either charge the press with treason or shut up. The President and VP need to put the smack down.
Is this a surprise. How else can the left-wing media help the enemy of America then to expose their covert operations. This is valuable info to the enemy and the Old Media know it.
Trial, post, blindfold, last cigarette (or Latte Grande)
Liberal Lips Sink Ships
Cheney for President in 2008!
I always wanted to do that; when I was waitressing and the gossip would float around I wanted to tell the one I figured was spreading rumors a "secret" about myself to found out how many people would end up knowing about it. Unfortunately, I was afraid that any "secret" I would tell about myself would be thought to be true, so I never did it. Sigh.
If the NBA can fine Mark Cuban $250,000 for running his mouth, surely Bush/Cheney can do more than whine about the Slimes publishing material that compromises national security.
"Now they want you to think you're being watched at the ATM."
Ah, yes, let us DEMAND that all cameras at ATM machines be taken out. I have a right to my privacy when I make a withdrawl at an ATM machine and should not be photographed. And also the withdrawl should not be recorded to my account, I should just be given the money from a central fund that is federally created to dole out money to ATMs without any identifying personal information or connection. (scarcasm off)
It would seem so... but one only has to look at the Wilson/Plame/Cooper affair to see how it's not.
The only good thing that can come out of this..is if the terrorists attack..they will hit a big city...a liberal stronghold..and kill liberals...they will get what they deserve...they are very very stupid......but of course they will scream help at the top of their lungs.....for the rest of us to come save them
Push the libs over the edge - run a Cheney/Rove ticket!
That would be epic!
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