Bush and the NSA did what?
By maineradio Posted in User Blogs — Comments (2) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Of course we all know this by now...this account from the L.A. Times (always good to illustrate any of my points):
After seven weeks of refusing to provide Congress with details of its secret domestic spying program, the White House changed course Wednesday and began to describe the operations of the controversial surveillance to members of the House and Senate intelligence committees...
It appeared to be a sudden reversal, coming at midday hours after two top officials -- White House spokesman Scott McClellan in the morning and Vice President Dick Cheney the evening before -- gave no sign of budging in conversations with reporters.
"This is a very positive development," said Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.), a key member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, who had pressed the matter in repeated discussions with White House officials. "Serious questioning, sharing of information and reviewing of this program began this afternoon."
When it comes to domestic "spying", I think President Bush said it best during the State of the Union: "...appropriate members of Congress had been notified..."
This "positive development" is positive only to Ms. Wilson, and the other members of Congress who are now going to be briefed by the White House as a result of Wilson getting a little upset that something was going on within the NSA, which she and the other members of her fun little committee there in Washington are in charge of overseeing, that she didn't know about. So, she goes running to the New York Times and whines.
I'm not saying I blame her; imagine the shades of red her face went through when she found that the New York (bleeping) Times knew more about the NSA than the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, whose only job it is to know about these things before the media does!
Alright fine, tell them. I say, tell them the whole thing (might as well document how good Bush is at wiretapping Americans compared to every other President since Lincoln while we're at it). The question now is, how long before the media and the American people know every detail of this "top secret" program? My money's on the close of business today.
Apparently, to Congresswoman Wilson and others, looking good to one's constituents is more important than protecting them.
Consistent with their expertise on domestic matters now that U.S. soil is a battle-field, the Democrats demand civilian veto power of tactical decision making. Their theory seems to be that fighting enemies on U.S. soil is a civilian activity subject to customary bureaucratic management and judicial review before taking action.
there was Washington intercepting mail to help track activities of the Tories. Never to late for an investigation! I'm counting on Pete Hoekstra to keep things relatively normal, Wilson and more so Specter I'm less sure about. Either way this could be another flop for the Dems and their bosses in the media.