Big Brother knows whom you call. Is that legal?

[liberal N proud]

Hold the Phone
Big Brother knows whom you call. Is that legal, and will it help catch the bad guys?

By Mark Hosenball and Evan Thomas
Newsweek
May 22, 2006 issue - In the difficult days after 9/11, White House officials quietly passed the word through Washington's alphabet soup of intelligence agencies: tell us which weapons you need to stop another attack. At the supersecretive NSA, the National Security Agency (also known as No Such Agency), the request came back: give us permission to collect information on people inside the United States. The NSA had been struggling, without much success, to listen in on terrorists who use cheap and easily available encrypted phones, and officials eagerly drew up a wish list, according to a participant in the discussions. This source, who declined to be identified discussing sensitive matters, said NSA officials did not really expect the White House to say yes to domestic spying. After scandals over wiretapping erupt-ed in the 1970s, the code breakers and electronic sleuths at the NSA had been essentially restricted to eavesdrop-ping on conversations between foreigners abroad. American residents and even most foreign visitors to the United States were off-limits to "Big Noddy," as NSA insiders call their giant "Ear in the Sky" surveillance capability.

Here it comes...

But after 9/11, president George W. Bush wanted fast action

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12779087/site/newsweek/?GT1=8199

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. no, no it is not

that is the naswer, 9.11 or not

[rodeodance]

2. Specters committee no longer asking that question. See this.

..http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2286960

[0rganism]

3. Is that a rhetorical question? -- it's legal if Big Brother says so

guess that part's settled.

The article also asks if it will "help catch the bad guys". Sure it will, depending on how Big Brother defines "catch" and "bad guys". For instance, if Big Brother were to define "bad guys" as people likely to vote for opposition candidates, then such a database would be very useful in developing "caging lists" for use at the polls on election day. If Big Brother defined "bad guys" as people in the general population who expressed opinions contrary to Big Brother's agenda, then it would be easier to find out who else might have heard such opinions and need additional monitoring as well.

Yeah, America's in the deep doodoo now.

[leftchick]

5. I am regretting not packing up my kids and animals and getting out in 2004

Instead of wasting a year of my life helping the Democratic party. :(

[flordehinojos]

4. only in BUSHISTAN where we have all been living since bush's inside job in

9/11.

[Junkdrawer]

6. Some say yes...Some say no....

Fair and Balanced reporting at its best!






:sarcasm: