NSA-gate, part deux

The anonymous leaker brigade strikes again. The MSM is flush with a new story alleging that AT&T, Verizon, and Bellsouth turned over customer phone call records to the NSA within the auspices of the al-Qaeda wiretap program.


Bush has now responded, and denies they are 'trolling'.

The usual suspects are on the warpath, Specter and Graham on the right, and Durbin and Leahy on the left:

"Are you telling me that tens of millions of Americans are involved with al Qaeda?" Leahy asked. "These are tens of millions of Americans who are not suspected of anything ... Where does it stop?"

However, this was contained in the USA Today story:

The program does not involve listening to or taping the calls. Instead it documents who talks to whom in personal and business calls, whether local or long distance, by tracking which numbers are called, the newspaper said.

While this isn't a comforting thought, let's keep some perspective. What isn't tracked these days? Sounds like they're trying to set up a matrix to narrow down suspects, whom they can proceed to wiretap. If you can get past the Bush-lied canard this becomes a code-breaking operation. Keep in mind none of the nineteen hijackers wore uniforms.

Interesting things are occurring in this area. The FBI's investigation into the NSA surveillance program was scuttled because the NSA wouldn't allow security clearnaces for the DOJ lawyers. And today, Hayden's visit to meet lawmakers on Capitol Hill today was canceled.

All in all, it sounds like quite a challenge for new White House spokesman Tony Snow. A few days ago the adminstration surely relished reopening the NSA debate otherwise they wouldn't have picked General Hayden for CIA Director, but one has to wonder if they saw this leak coming. But more importantly, one has to wonder if the continuing erosion of the contents of this program are hurting or helping America.

ECHELON 5/11/06

Some folks have mentioned the NSA's "Echelon" survelliance program that originated in the 90s under Clinton. From what I can tell it was designed to monitor foreign internet and telephone traffic, not domestic US traffic (although it could). Since NSA already has a global network of receivers to pick up radio traffic, what's the difference if they snoop into foreign phone calls and instant messaging, etc?

According to those who would know, Bush's program is not a comms dragnet--more likely it uses a matrix to determine pattern recognition to help determine potential eavesdropping targets.

Bush's strong and quick reaction should indicate the sensitivity and seriousness of this project. Anytime this comes up, he's like a different man. But, in this open society called America, we're like a curious cat--we've just got to know. This may indeed be the mortal downfall of modern democracies in an age of WMDs and radical Islamists and criminals. Strangely, this downfall was discussed in Ahmadinejad's letter.

Samuel Adams once said,

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards. And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. Instead of sitting down satisfied with the efforts we have already made, which is the wish of our enemies, the necessity of the times, more than ever, calls our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance.

Let us remember, that 'if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom.' It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our minds, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers in the event."

The left surely sees this as a condemnation of NSA-type programs, but to me it's more a warning against appeasement politics.

STATES SECRET PRIVILEGE 5/12/06

Another leak about the NSA program, this time from an AT&T worker who probably sincerely believes he's performing a patriotic act.

There are really only two ways of looking at this. One, that Bush is indeed a fascist who invented the WoT (or is simply capitalizing off it) to reach his evil neocon ends, or two, Bush is holding a state secret--a very dark and disturbing one--that he simply cannot let out of the bag. The NSA program and perhaps others are being used to defeat the threat, which still looms.

I'm pretty sure of my choice, what's yours?