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.
I think we have a dangerous situation today where the U.S. press is trying to get absolute freedom.Senator Jeff Sessions had an interesting comment on this subject:"If a spy comes into our country and gets secure information and gives it to the enemy,we prosecute them and put them in jail.But if a reporter gets secure information and publishes it to our enemies and to the whole world,they get the Pulitzer Prize."
Cheney "Trashes" Media? Since when is exposing the truth "trashing" someone?
I always find it interesting how our side is portrayed. By using the word "grumbles" when describing Cheney's remarks it minimizes what the VP is talking about and the seriousness of leaking classified info."Grumbled" as if Cheney was some senile, old, cranky man grumbling over cold porridge. In fact most of these so called journalist aren't fit to wipe Cneney's boots.
Isn't that the truth?
(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." )
Ed Malarkey and Carolyn Baloney: perfect together.
Yes. We can expect the NYT to be traitorous--it's their nature. But the Bush admin MUST do something about the leaks, and the leakers MUST be punished, or all is lost. We can't let the media take control of the war in this way.
I truly hope you're wrong, but some of the signs are there, that's for sure. If you are right, and we do go down, it will be on the shoulders not only of the 'Rats, but (have to say this) also on the Bush admin for not taking more aggressive action against these traitors. Mostly, they just seem to look the other way. Don't get me wrong, I love the President, but this issue is one of his (very) weak points.
Either charge the press with treason or shut up
Have an obvious question, why not go after the one who is leaking the secrets to the media?
Check out all who have top security clearance and who know the "secrets" to begin with. Whoever is leaking the info needs to be in federal prison. Isn't that what they are given top security clearance for? Not to disclose sensitive material?
Most likely but it could be some commie, eurotrash, America hating insider in Brussels leaking.
I think it depends on the approach. If you want to make it difficult (because you don't want to offend anyone, after all), it can become nearly impossible. I'm betting it could be done, if only the will to do so were there.
What do we do when Rep. Hoekstra,the Repulican head of the House Intelligence committee recently said on this subject:"I am not willing to go so far as to advocate the criminal prosecution of those who publish classified information"?
With all these leaks, I am amazed that Art Bell is still on the air. But he is, and 10m people tune in to hear all of the secrets that are not fit to print.
Sure they will--and when we try, they will next scream that we're violating one or more of their rights. Remember the subway gas plot, and when added security was put on the subways, all the libs (led by the ACLU) fought every effort to protect the people using the subways. That is one reason I could give a fig about reducing the Homeland Security funds for NY.
The Plame affair got out of hand because Bush stated at the git-go he would let the investigation take its course. That's where Clinton was so much the smarter politican than Bush. He would be out front criticizing his critics and working in support of his people. Bush is content to let things drag on forever, and from his Mount Olypus he can observe (if indeed he does care) from his perch far above the political fray. History books will write about George Bush: like Father, like son.
The socialists care of only one thing... a return to power. The sell-out... or destruction of the nation in the process of acheiving that goal is simply... hard-ball politics.
Feel free to steal...
They need to purge agencies that don't have the attitude "We work for the administration."
No matter who's President, executive branch agencies have a duty to support the administration.
There ought to be an extra high penalty for those that leak sensitive information like this.
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