Posted on 12/16/2005 5:32:32 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
President Bush has personally authorized a secretive eavesdropping program in the United States more than three dozen times since October 2001, a senior intelligence official told The Associated Press Friday night.
The disclosure follows angry demands by lawmakers earlier in the day for a congressional inquiry into whether the monitoring by the highly secretive National Security Agency violated civil liberties.
"There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," declared Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He promised hearings early next year.
In a broad defense of the program put forward hours later, a senior intelligence official said the eavesdropping was narrowly designed to go after possible terrorist threats in the United States. The official said that, since October 2001, authorization for the program has been renewed more than three dozen times. On each occasion, the lawfulness of the program is certified by the president's legal counsel and the attorney general. It is then personally signed by Bush.
AAAARRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH when will these blowhards in the congress SHUT UP!
Specter is a disgrace.
You're being sooooo kind.
I want to know who is leaking classified information.
what do ya know?
a president with common sense!
The MSM is just trying anything to hurt the president. Some of these stories are so ridiculous they are laughable. Oh, and Arlen Specter is worthless.
Nice to see that at least Bush is playing to win.
Amazing - just more proof that so many have forgotten about 9/11.
Arlen needs to have one of his precious "hearings" on who the hell is leaking this stuff. Whoever is leaking this stuff is guilty of treason.
If the program was reviewed by the President's legal counsel and by the Atty General and declared lawful, what is the problem?
Rush called this right this morning. These leaks are going to be the news cycle for the next few weeks just to knock the Iraqi election success off the front page.
The Pubbies in the House and Senate need to just STFU
Hunt them down and prosecute the leakers!
Seriously, can Arlen Specter be kicked out of the Republican Party?
For real. I'm not joking.
Say "get out!". Strip him of his offices. Do it.
We haven't had a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11/01. If eavesdropping prevented even one attack, then I approve. It was appropriate.
Now the DemoRats and some RINO's in the Senate don't want to extend the Patriot Act. Most of the same Senators absurdly claim that the U.S. isn't any safer due to the war on terrorism.
But even though they think we aren't safe, they want to weaken or repeal the Patriot Act. Talk about idiots!
This type of tongue-wagging should be the focus. It is done with intention and malice against the current administration. Porter Goss and Senate Republicans need to get this under control IMMEDIATELY. No holds barred and no sentence too harsh for those found guilty.
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