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2006-02-03 Home Front: Politix

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence's hearings are usually held behind closed doors, open only to people with top-secret security clearances or clearances so secret their names can't even be revealed.

But today its Democratic members made the most of their first chance to grill administration officials and the intelligence community on the secret domestic surveillance program enacted by President Bush shortly after 9/11 terror attacks.

The program was known only to the intelligence officers who administer it, the administration members who OK'd it, and the eight members of Congress who were informed but sworn to secrecy.

Secrets are hard enough to keep in Washington. So the revelation of a clandestine spying program kept quiet for four years has been a political focus in Washington since it was leaked to the New York Times late last year.

The hearing opened with National Intelligence Director John Negroponte's slow monotone, describing worldwide threats of nuclear peril from Iran and North Korea to how al Qaeda is sustaining itself both in Iraq and elsewhere.

Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore., cut Negroponte off in mid-sentence as he described the internal NSA and administration checks on the domestic spying program.

"That's not good enough," Wyden snapped. "You're asking us to trust you. Ronald Reason put it well, 'Trust but verify.' And the American people and Congress can't verify."

Most Democrats and Republicans such as intelligence committee member Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, and Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter have raised questions about the secrecy of the program and the fact that it circumvents the Foreign Intelligence Security Act, which requires warrants for domestic wiretapping from a secret court.

Democrats walked a fine line in their criticism, trying to criticize the program without appearing soft on national security matters. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., for instance, said today he is not opposed to the wiretapping, but to the secrecy with which the program was enacted and conducted.

For their part, Republicans forcefully defended the program. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., zinged off some excellent one-liners about the need for secrecy regarding the program.

"I can tell you how many people have been saved by this program," he said, when Gen. Hayden of the Department of National Intelligence declined to say how many people were saved from death at the hands of terrorists by the program. "It's everybody who was on the Brooklyn Bridge when it would have been blown up."

Caught in the middle were the intelligence community representatives, who generally declined to comment on the program at all, saying they could elaborate later today when they met in a closed hearing.

Today's hearing marked the first of several shots senators will have at the political appointees who approved and administer the NSA program. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will likely undergo a similar haranguing next Monday when he goes before the Senate Judiciary committee.

Posted by Dan Darling 2006-02-03 00:50|| || Front Page|| [11136 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., for instance, said today he is not opposed to the wiretapping, but to the secrecy with which the program was enacted and conducted.

Well how the phuque else is surveillance going to be conducted? With full knowledge of the parties being watched? With there being a public declaration that surveillance of so-and-so kinds of communications is in effect?

These people complaining about clandestine monitoring of foreign communications need to pull their heads out of their asses.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2006-02-03 01:27|| 2006-02-03 01:27|| Front Page Top

#2 I think we need to see some arrests of Congressmen and Senators or staffers who have leaked info. Maybe these asstards will wake up when they get perp walked out of the capitol.

Posted by Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-03 01:34|| 2006-02-03 01:34|| Front Page Top

#3 Well said, SPoD. I'd give $500 to see Pelosi and Schumer perp walked down the steps. I'd give $1000 to see them get rowdy and the LEO rap them a few times with the stick.

Posted by mac 2006-02-03 05:45|| 2006-02-03 05:45|| Front Page Top

#4
Wyden is a self gatifying fool on some platform designed to keep himself in the press. Just as soon as he thinks he can get traction as the defender of civil rights the Pentagon will release a case like Brooklyn bridge with details and send this guy and all his followers to the bottom of the pool. Boy the next two years will be fun.

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2006-02-03 08:27|| 2006-02-03 08:27|| Front Page Top

#5 I always think of how this was used in the past (most phone companies during previous wars willingly tapped lines to listen for spies). He!!, I can hear my neighbors' conversation each night on our baby monitor. Cell phones may be a lil' more difficult, but should be same principle as cordless phones in the house. And, like others are stating, they're not worried that Papa John's asked you to "hold, please" when you first call for pizza...just calls placed to overseas (known) phone #s. It's not like the guys at NSA have nothing better to do.

Posted by BA 2006-02-03 10:04|| 2006-02-03 10:04|| Front Page Top

#6 Perhaps all monitored calls need to be prefaced with an announcement:

"Beep Beep BOOP!! This call is being monitored by the United States National Security Agency. Transcripts of your conversation may be recorded and distributed to agencies that are part of Homeland Defense. The Democratic Party wishes you to know that they disapprove of these taps and respect your right to plot to kill Americans. We now return you to your terroristic conspiracy ..."

Posted by DMFD 2006-02-03 18:43|| 2006-02-03 18:43|| Front Page Top

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