Hayden Nomination Hearings

Gen. Hayden, the nominee to head the CIA, is in hearings right now.


Senator Roberts is speaking right now. He, absurdly, suggests that, because he has been informed about NSA programmes, that they are therefore legal. That because NSA administrators have a 'tightly run' programme, its therefore acceptable. He, in perhaps a bout of insanity, stated that all such programmes undergo "Vigourous Oversight". He also states that the programme, which spys upon regular americans without any connection to terrorists, is a "Terrorist Surveillance Program". This is called spin.

The US government can not spy on american citizens in bulk, certianly not merely because we are at war, and certainly not merely because the Office of the President authorizes it. Executive Orders don't get to supersede Constitutional Law. Oversight, precisely what Senator Roberts lied about in the above, is what, minimally, is needed. These programmes don't have oversight from the courts. They don't have oversight from the Special Top Secret Courts. They don't have Oversight from Congress, despite the claim that 'some' people in Congress have been informed. That is especially true since Roberts himself seems to think that any discussion or interruption of the programme is treason (ie, a breech of National Security).

Most absurdly, and perhaps showing the Senator Roberts is a clueless dolt, he claims that Zarqawi is a serious threat to the US that warrants these kinds of actions. Zarqawi, as the Pentagon itself has admitted, is, while a very real individual terrorist, largely a fabrication of their own design. An admitted psyops programme planted information in the media and new releases playing up the threat and ability of Zarqawi, creating a mythos about him, in the hopes of 'galvinizing public support' for the war efforts.
Now, regardless of what you think about that, what kind of moron cites a fabricated threat as a reason to accept the giving up of civil liberties?? So take Senator Robert's 'humble opinion', as he says, for what its worth, nothing.

Now Senator Levin is speaking. Private citizens, without any connection to terrorists, are being spyed upon by the government, and the telecommunications industry is being strong armed into illegally turning over records. Levin seems to imply that he has been breifed on the programme, and is noting that people who have been informed and are permitted to speak about the programme have essentially confirmed the USA Today reports.
Levin states that there is a privacy issue with the NSA programme. He notes that 'its as if' the most acceptable portions of the secret programmes are what are being leaked, implying that more unacceptable programmes are operating. He also noted that there seems to be a dissonance with the claims that 'only terrists are spyed on', when there are average citizens being snooped on in data mining operations.



*raises hand to head*I am getting a super-psychic transmission.....nothing will come of these proceedings......SNAFU....


Now Gen. Hayden is speaking. He's basically blathering and ignoring the discussion on civil liberties, government excess, and how to execute the war on terror.

us.news1.yimg.com...

Okay, Nygdan. What am I missing here? Explain it to me, because gosh knows i've tried and I am just not getting it? I see the 'spin' coming from the other direction and I really am trying to be fair and unbiased on this issue. I consider you to be very well researched and fair as well, so please explain to me what I am missing on this issue as far as the law goes and civil liberties? I can't find where our phone records are protected by the Constitution as Smith v. Maryland in 1979 covers that. And, I certainly can't find where a law has been broken. I've really put time and effort into this too. Point me to what i'm missing here please. Thanks.

This is just a link in a chain that stretches back years and years to the early days of the CIA or earlier. We have been lied to again and again, when will it stop? With the surveilance fisrt we were told that it was not being done, then we were told that it was only when a foreign call was involved. Now we find that this instance(on-going I'm sure) is strictly domestic calls. And invovles millions of calls perhaps billions, the largest data bank in the history of man kind. Can't we expect more from our government.

Ummmmmm i'm still not getting it. Honestly, why would the government come right out and tell you they were doing this? Why would you expect them too? What would be the point of them even doing it if they were going to tell everyone they were?

GOD-BLESS-HAYDEN. The man is a true patriot.
The problem is beyond Haydens ability to fix. However, he and Negroponte will not piss around. You won't see a whole lot of trials because most of the serious problems can be fixed with about, oh, $1.00 worth of lead if you can catch my drift.

There may be a strange incidence of accidents and suicides and murderers by "crooks" against some people you all THINK ARE HEROES AND GREAT GUYS.

Bring on them there death squads.

[ i'm just babbling here folks, i don't really KNOW anything].