Pat Roberts wrote an OP Ed today--No investigation needed (spying)

[rodeodance]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-03-09-opposing-view_x.htm

> Posted 3/9/2006 9:21 PM
> No investigation needed
> By Pat Roberts

> Through a criminal leak of highly classified information, the public, and our enemy, learned that President Bush authorized the National Security Agency to intercept international communications of people believed to be linked to al-Qaeda. Many in Congress and the media rushed to judgment, decrying the program as illegal and unconstitutional, demanding congressional investigations.
>.......
>
> The courts have long recognized that the president has the authority under the Constitution to conduct "warrantless" surveillance for the purposes of collecting foreign intelligence.
>
> While Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to establish procedures for foreign intelligence surveillance, this law did not, indeed cannot, extinguish the president's constitutional powers. FISA provides one way for him to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance, but not the only way.
>

>......

>
> Those who condemn the formation of the subcommittee want an election-year investigation with the accompanying partisan rancor. An investigation might serve a political purpose, but the subcommittee serves a national security purpose.

[rodeodance]

1. Roberts will NOT investigate anything! even after Feingold put forth

his resolution today.

[rodeodance]

2. then he had the gall to say that Congress did its oversight responsibil-

ities!

...The courts have long recognized that the president has the authority under the Constitution to conduct "warrantless" surveillance for the purposes of collecting foreign intelligence.

While Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to establish procedures for foreign intelligence surveillance, this law did not, indeed cannot, extinguish the president's constitutional powers. FISA provides one way for him to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance, but not the only way.

Until this week, leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees exercised oversight of the program. I recognize the benefit, however, of expanding that role. That's why I began discussing expansion of the committee's role with the White House several weeks ago.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. White men have been covering for each other for centuries in this

country. Because, if they had to face the same treatment as the rest of us, they'd learn they are more corrupt and criminally prone than blacks and hispanics.

[Mythsaje]

4. Ignoring the fact that ONE end of the alleged wiretap

originated here in the U.S. and dodging the courts must make one wonder what they're hiding.

[marmar]

5. And this is the world's greatest democracy?

:shrug:

[rodeodance]

6. I am just so so angry/disappointed.

[marmar]

8. I feel you...

And I'm tired of waking up so angry and disgusted every day with all the corruption, the despotism, and the apathy and indifference of most people.
But maybe it's karma or kismet or something. Every great civilization has eventually fallen - maybe we're just unfortunate to be living in the United States when it falls. :cry:

[adigal]

7. I can NOT wait until it leaks that political enemies

have been spied on - you know, people like Clinton and Kerry.

Then I want to see these sycophants try to play this "very rare, and not Americans, and blah, blah, blah game."

I, too, am disgusted and disappointed. And confused - they are getting so wound up in their lies and justifications, like Specter did today, they are not even making any sense.

[DRoseDARs]

9. Wait, did I REALLY just read this...?

"Through a criminal leak of highly classified information, the public, and our enemy, learned that President Bush authorized the National Security Agency to intercept international communications of people believed to be linked to al-Qaeda."

vs

"The courts have long recognized that the president has the authority under the Constitution to conduct "warrantless" surveillance for the purposes of collecting foreign intelligence."



Erm, was this public knowledge after it was "{recognized by the courts as Constitutionally authorized}" or was this public knowledge after it was "leaked" by the press? Which is it Patty? :crazy:

[Hubert Flottz]

10. Pat Roberts is as guilty as Bush!

So is Warner!

[Disturbed]

11. This creep is a traitor.

He is a Fascist asshole.

Nixon was Impeached for this and would have been found guilty and tossed out.

I am so freakin' pissed off about this issue that I must go for a walk now and simmer down.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. I know how you feel, I'm pissed too.

I've watched Pat Roberts for months on Cspan and I have yet to see him do anything but march in total lock step with Bush. A spineless liar.

[moondust]

13. "And besides," he added,

"investigators might stumble onto the actual names of the Democrats and anti-war protestors we were monitoring."