Bush Defends Spying as Part of Duty to Defend U.S.

[sabra]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aidWCMyMbn9E&refer=top_world_news

Bush Defends Spying as Part of Duty to Defend U.S.

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush defended his decision to authorize secret government eavesdropping on communications between the U.S. and other countries as fulfilling his oath to protect U.S. citizens from attack.

Bush told an audience of business and community leaders today in Louisville, Kentucky, that the surveillance by the National Security Agency kept the balance between the president's obligations upholding the constitutional rights of Americans and protecting the country from its enemies.

...

``I understand people's concerns about government eavesdropping,'' Bush said. The surveillance was directed at finding out the nature of calls made by suspected al-Qaeda affiliates to the U.S., he said. The NSA was ``just trying to find out why those phone calls are being made.''

[Orrex]

1. We had to destroy the nation in order to save it.

Setec Astronomy

[genieroze]

2. Bush Defends Spying as Part of Duty to Defend U.S.

* is full of $hi+.

[cantstandbush]

12. Bush has been told by his handlers who are good at lying to never

admit he was wrong, lied, or made a mistake. The neocons are good at this. Just stick to your story no matter how ridiculous or bad it is. They know enough that if you repeat a line to the American public long enough (especially if it goes unchallenged, and when challenged you reframe the issue)most people will believe it's true and admire you for not changing your story (lie).

[Kagemusha]

3. So when Colbert asked if Bush had the right or the duty to spy on us,

it wasn't really a joke...

[400Years]

4. He's not defending anybody but himself and halliburton

There is no war on terror.

[merwin]

5. He never took an oath to protect the US citizens. He took an oath to

protect and defend the constitution.

[pfitz59]

14. Yes, so true!

Will some idiot reporter ever call him on this lie?

[havocmom]

6. After 9-11, he told us to go on as usual; go shopping or terrorist win

Then:
his malAdministration ran our Consititution through the shredder

he invaded a nation with nothing to do with terrorists, and lied to justify it

drove Saddam out of power in Iraq, which is just want Bin Laden wanted



The drunk in the Oval Office has NEVER done his duty.

[endarkenment]

7. F*ing liar!

the NSA was already monitoring international communications - th f*ing liar is lying when he says that "The surveillance was directed at finding out the nature of calls made by suspected al-Qaeda affiliates to the U.S".

This strikes no balance at all between upholding constiutional rights and protecting the country from its enemies. That statement is another lie, cascading on the first lie. Instead, Bush unleashed wholesale snooping on domestic communications, and in doing so clearly violated the 4th amendment and existing legislation. If, as the f*ing liar claimed, they were interested in "the nature of calls made by suspected al-Qaeda affiliates" then the adminstration could have gone to the FISA court to get a warrant for monitoring each and everyone of those 'suspected al-Qaeda affiliates'. The administration did not do this. Bush is a damned liar.

They engaged in wholesale monitoring of domestic communications on the off chance that they would find some al-qaeda affiliate to suspect. In doing so they also gained access to all sorts of information about ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY to use IN ANY MANNER THEY CHOSE.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Suspected al-Qaeda affiliates have made millions of calls to US

citizens? That's alittle hard to believe. I think Chimpy's lying again.

[flordehinojos]

9. old nazi tactic used by every garden variety dictator in the world.

[WePurrsevere]

10. Defending the Constitution is your primary SWORN Constitutional duty and

in that document you (and the rest of the Gov) are prohibted from warrentless searches (spying). It has also been repeatedly upheld in court that the Constitution protects our right to privacy.

You have lied to get us to go invade a sovereign nation that was well under control (which has cost thousands of innocent lives), you overlooked intelligence that would have prevented 9-11, you seem to think you are above the law of this country and you are doing everything you can to take apart this country and our Constitution... this makes you a traitor.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Excellent points you made, WePurrsevere

Bush has violated his oath of office, which is to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. His rationale for spying on Americans is the same rationale that all tyrants have used throughout history to justify their actions.

Bush must be impeached!

[ninkasi]

13. I agree completely...

Bush must be impeached; he has, indeed, violated his oath of office. He has been a disaster for not only the United States, but for the entire world. He is setting a dangerous precedent, and if not stopped, will declare himself dictator for life...all in the name of his never ending, phony, "War on Terror." It's a shame that so many Americans have become such cowards, that they are willing to sacrifice their liberties for a false sense of security. The Founding Fathers would be so disappointed in us.

[Lisa]

15. "But I'm only doing it for your sake, sweetie!"

Sounds like one of the stock lines uttered in abusive relationships, doesn't it!

[Art_from_Ark]

16. Fearless Leader takes his job of saving American lives seriously

Like the time he sprang into action after being told that "America is under attack". Admittedly, this "springing into action" was on a time delay of up to 20 minutes, since the goat story, and subsequent question-and-answer session with 2nd graders, was apparently so much more intriguing.