NSA Is Asking Senate Intel Committee To Use WH VOICE In Wiretap Policy

[kpete]

Democrats Call NSA's Input To Senate Panel Inappropriate

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 13, 2006; A07


On July 27, shortly after most members of the committee were briefed on the controversial surveillance program, the NSA supplied the panel's chairman, Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), with "a set of administration approved, unclassified talking points for the members to use," as described in the document.

Among the talking points were "subjective statements that appear intended to advance a particular policy view and present certain facts in the best possible light," Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) said in a letter to the NSA director.

The cleared statements included "I can say the program must continue" and "There is strict oversight in place . . . now including the full congressional intelligence committees," as well as "Current law is not agile enough to handle the threat posed by sophisticated international terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda" and "The FISA should be amended so that it is technologically neutral." FISA refers to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the current law.

Rockefeller and six Democrats on the panel wrote Lt. Gen. Keith B. Alexander, the NSA's director, on Aug. 29 that they believed those statements "appear intended to advocate particular policies rather than provide guidance on classification." The letter added: "We believe that it is inappropriate for the NSA to insert itself into this policy debate."

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/12/AR2006091201443_pf.html

[leveymg]

1. Read that header to mean the NSA had been wiretapping the Bush White House

Now. that would be the REAL domestic terrorist surveillance program!

One would hope NSA did, and someone leaks the recordings to the House Judiciary, Investigations and Intelligence Committees next January.

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[Lasher]

2. We're doing nothing wrong because I assert this is so.

Begging the question just a tad, are we?

Alexander had earlier told Rockefeller that the talking points were in response to requests from more than one committee Democrat for guidance as to what could be said publicly as the policy debate began over what should be done with the program.

So this is the NSA's list of what can be said about the program during Senate debates, without compromising classified information? How about, "Junior was right and he did nothing wrong?"

[rodeodance]

3. more proof that the WH works for themslves ----NOT for 'the good' of

America or its people. Self-serving resourses--money, time, and personnel go into the making of these 'talking points." !!