Wiretapping...
In a January N.Y. Times article, members of the FBI were quoted saying that the thousands and thousands of tips gleaned by the NSA's illegal wiretapping and monitoring of American citizens' communications after 9/11 had led to nothing but "dead ends" (see NYT, 1/17/06, p.A6). Instead, the FBI was forced to divert countless man-hours to pursuing leads that proved useless.
It is clear that in casting too wide a net -- as the NSA has done -- no discernible benefit has been reaped. But the price has been exhorbitant -- we as a nation stand poised to sacrifice the liberties that we have fought so long to maintain and that many see as the foundation of our democracy.
Too, shortly after the FBI admission, Vice-President Cheney made a speech in which he claimed that the same illegal wire-tapping had reaped immeasurable rewards ... this in the face of contradictory evidence can only point to a cynicism that knows no bounds.
It is clear that in casting too wide a net -- as the NSA has done -- no discernible benefit has been reaped. But the price has been exhorbitant -- we as a nation stand poised to sacrifice the liberties that we have fought so long to maintain and that many see as the foundation of our democracy.
Too, shortly after the FBI admission, Vice-President Cheney made a speech in which he claimed that the same illegal wire-tapping had reaped immeasurable rewards ... this in the face of contradictory evidence can only point to a cynicism that knows no bounds.
Labels: gathering intel, war on terror, wasting resources
posted by Ella Fantry at 12:58 PM
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