The Bush administration is apparently better at spying on US citizens than catching terrorists abroad. Two stories:First, President Bush refuses to say whether he told the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans -- without getting warrants first.
The New York Times broke the story this morning. Their report says the President allowed the spying on Americans in a 2002 order. The spying reportedly allowed the NSA to tap into hundreds -- or thousands -- of phone calls and e-mails from US citizens to people overseas.
Critics say the move violates Constitutional protections against illegal searches.
Sen Arlen Specter (R-PA) called the action "inappropriate." He chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and suggested a Congressional investigation was in order after the first of the year.
By this afternoon, Google News had tracked more than 570 news articles and stories on the spying issue.
Meanwhile, we find out that public enemy number one in Iraq -- terrorist leader Abu Susab al-Zarqawi -- was captured last year. This is the guy who's leading the terrorists that are a major part of the 90 attacks a day across Iraq.
CNN reports a US intelligence source says it's possible that our Iraqi allies had him in custody -- and let him go. Possibly because they didn't know who he was.
Let me get this straight. We've spent 200-and-some-odd billion dollars on the Iraq War and no one thought to put the guy's picture up in Iraqi police stations, phone poles, or on milk cartons?
Our intel missed 9/11 and now let a leading terrorist slip away.
But they might just know what some Army wife told her husband in Iraq in that last steamy e-mail she sent him. (NYT/Austin American Statesman/Forbes)
