Bush told, Explain spy program
p2p news / p2pnet: A federal judge has ordered the US government to release details about the secret surveillance program it’s been using to spy on Americans, or explain what it’s withholding.
But, "After a two-hour closed-door session, Senate Intelligence Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said the committee adjourned without voting on whether to open an investigation," says the Associated Press. "Instead, he and the White House confirmed that they had an agreement to give lawmakers more information on the nature of the program. The White House also has committed to make changes to the current law, according to Roberts and White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino."
Roberts, "said the White House had agreed to provide more briefings to the Senate Intelligence Committee – hardly an enormous concession since it is already required to do so," states a New York Times editorial, wondering, "Is there any aspect of President Bush’s miserable record on intelligence that Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is not willing to excuse and help to cover up?"
He and the White House, "were working out ‘a fix’ for the law," says the NYT, going on: "That is the worst news. FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] was written to prevent the president from violating Americans’ constitutional rights. It was amended after 9/11 to make it even easier for the administration to do legally what it is now doing.
"FISA does not in any way prevent Mr. Bush from spying on Qaeda members or other terrorists. The last thing the nation needs is to amend the law to institutionalize the imperial powers Mr. Bush seized after 9/11."
In associated news, "U.S. military spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will rise to $115 billion for this year – and nearly $400 billion since the fighting started – under an emergency request the White House submitted Thursday," says the Chicago Sun-Times.
The request includes $2.9 billion for, "intelligence gathering and other related activities," says the story.
Also See:
Associated Press – Judge Orders Spying Documents Released, February 17, 2006
New York Times – Doing the President’s Dirty Work, February 17, 2006
Chicago Sun-Times – Bush seeks $85 bil. for wars, storms, February 17, 2006
February 17th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
“…The last thing the nation needs is to amend the law to institutionalize the imperial powers Mr. Bush seized after 9/11.”
Imperial powers? Do his lackeys think he is a king or what?
Out of control.
Totally corrupted by “imperial” power.
February 17th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
Yes, but the President does get upset when a crown doesn’t magically appear on his head after he slathers margarine on a dinner roll and takes a bite.
–TG
February 18th, 2006 at 12:45 am
Who is kidding who? The Administration makes promises to keep lawmakers apprised of what they are doing; but no sooner are the words out of their mouths than they renege, citing “National Security”! What I fail to comprehend is why and how the Senate and the House continually vote to give the prez what he wants!!! Never in the history of this great republic has it been more apparent that the Executive Branch is deliberately and methodically dismantling the Bill of Rights. And the Legislative Branch is wielding the axe. Whatever happened to their oaths to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution”? Every single one of them is guilty of the impeachable high crime of violating their sacred oaths. God bless America – we’re going to need all the blessings we can get!