WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2007
U.S. Intelligence Chief: Enhance Spy Law
Director Mike McConnell Wants Congress To Strengthen Eavesdropping Capabilities; Cites Terrorism, Spies From Abroad
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U.S. National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell, shown here in this July 17, 2007 file photo, has asked Congress to increase the government's eavesdropping capability, citing terrorism and spying from adversaries. (AP / file)
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Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, says China and Russia are aggressively spying on sensitive U.S. facilities, intelligence systems and development projects, and their efforts are approaching Cold War levels.
"Foreign intelligence information concerning the plans, activities and intentions of foreign powers and their agents is critical to protect the nation and preserve our security," McConnell stated in testimony prepared for a Tuesday congressional hearing.
He is trying not only to hold the line against what some, mainly Democrats, see as excesses in the new Protect America Act, but also is pressing to strengthen it. Congress hastily adopted the measure last August based on McConnell's warnings of a dire gap in U.S. intelligence.
The law eased some of the restrictions on government eavesdropping contained in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Many are now having second thoughts as the complicated law intended to ease the government's interception of foreign calls and e-mails has come under attack by civil liberties and privacy advocates who contend it gives the government broader powers than intended.
McConnell says the Protect America Act gave the government the freedom to listen in on calls and e-mails that may help identify "sleeper cells" of terrorists in the United States, according to an advance copy of his written statement to the House Judiciary Committee.
The Protect America Act allows the government to eavesdrop, without a court order, on all communications conducted by a person reasonably believed to be outside the United States, even if an American is on one end of the conversation.
Such surveillance was generally prohibited under the original Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and is one of the more controversial aspects of the new law.
But McConnell's prepared testimony says that is one of the most important new aspects of the law: the possibility of obtaining a call or e-mail "from a foreign terrorist outside the United States to a previously unknown 'sleeper' or coconspirator inside the United States."
While many Democrats angle to roll back what they consider the excesses of the new law, McConnell and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth L. Wainstein are pushing Congress to make even more changes to FISA.
Among the changes they seek is a new definition for "electronic surveillance." Unlike a dictionary definition, the legal definition includes not just which technologies are used to conduct the surveillance, but also who is targeted, what communications are collected, where the target is and where the eavesdropping takes place. The definition is critical because it limits the government's power. FISA generally requires court orders for any activity deemed to be "electronic surveillance."
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- DOES ANYONE HAVE A BETTER IDEA I''D LOVE TO HERE IT I''M SO TIRED OF STONE TOSSING ON THESE BLOGS AND PRETENDEING TO BE HIPPIES.
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- I see lars has been allowed all day use of his computer at the mental ward again.
- Reply to this comment
- Are there no backbones in D.C.???Spying by longdistance electronics just will never cut it. Nose to nose, belly to belly, challenge is required. The wimps in D.C. want virtual (imaginary) fences along the southern border, etc., instead of bravely stopping the flow of spies dead cold. Consider:By the time Jeszs Ricardo Mendoza led police on a 90-mph chase down Interstate 215 in Riverside County two years ago, he had served four prison terms and had been deported four times already.
Mendoza, 33, had been convicted of assault, vehicle theft, drug possession and illegal entry
This is the role model Dianne Feinstein, Ted Kennedy, and other featherheaded anti-Americans want in the USA under H-1B and H-2B rules, plus additional AMNESTY programs as AgJobs and the nightmarish ''''Dream Act''''.
There is no pro-American or pro-Union anything in these treasonous AMNESTY proposals - Americans once again need to rise up shout, yell, telephone, fax, eMail, and demonstrate to the elitist anti-American Senators and get these proposals once again defeated. - Reply to this comment
HEY LARS-000,HARD TO HEAR THE TRUTH OF WHAT YOUR BOSS BUSH/CHENEY REGEIM HAS DONE TO US..BY THE WAY I THINK ITS TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE YOUR HEAD OUT OF THEIR A/S/S/ES, BREATH SLOWLY OK.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT CNN AND OTHER NEWS KEEP SAYING THAT THE UNITED STATES IS STILL THE SUPER POWERS OF THE WORLD..
WORGE AGAIN---CHINA IS SO FAR AHEAD OF THE US THAT THEY COULD WIPE US OUT IN ONE BLOW..IT''''S TIME FOR THE REAL NEWS TO GET OUT THAT WE CANT EVEN TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN..
CHINA IS SO MORE READY TO FINNISH US OFF..WHY DONT YOU SEE THAT FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW WE HAVE LET THEM KILL US SLOWLY AND OUR CHILDREN SLOWLY POISING US WITH FOOD,LED PAINT AND MORE...THINK ABOUT IT WHY DO YOU THINK OUR CHILDREN HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS IN LEARNING......
BETTER WAKE UP AMERICA...NOW THE US WANTS TO DECREASE OUR NAVY BY HALF..GREAT COME IN CHINA .....- Reply to this comment
- don%u2019t you just hate these stupid silly little fascist nazi terrorislamic muslims pretending to be liberal Americans%u2026%u2026 and begging for the usa to leave iraq%u2026..lol%u2026.. they must be really getting their arses kicked%u2026. Hahahahahahaha
and these fascist nazi terrorislamic muslim collaborators - Reply to this comment
- I''m scared of liberals
Posted by crzmeat at 02:06 PM : Sep 18, 2007
But I''''m stupid
Posted by crzmeat at 02:28 PM : Sep 18, 2007
Somebody please call 9/11 looks like this dude escaped from the Bananna Farm.
ROTLMAO - Reply to this comment
- Posted by FeelFree1 at 02:53 PM : Sep 18, 2007
hahahaha it is in the context of declaring their independance from britian haji,,, lol his remarks are directed to the british loyalists,,, the ones that wanted to live under britians slavery,,, today it is directed at the pacifist that would live under fascist nazi terrorislam,,,
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. Ben Franklin
At the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Ben Franklin
We make war that we may live in peace. Aristotle
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry - Reply to this comment
- U.S. Intelligence Chief: Enhance Spy Law
Director Mike McConnell Wants Congress To Strengthen Eavesdropping Capabilities; Cites Terrorism, Spies From Abroad
Open USA borders and Mexican trucks traveling US Highways again how does spying help when it''s directed at American citizens. - Reply to this comment
Re: "Director Mike McConnell Wants Congress To Strengthen Eavesdropping Capabilities; Cites Terrorism, Spies From Abroad"
Whatever you say, boss, so long as I feel safer.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."- Benjamin Franklin- Reply to this comment
- Posted by crzmeat at 02:28 PM : Sep 18, 2007
By learning how to use your spell checker you might even be able to expand your vocabulary beyond one hundred words. - Reply to this comment
- monofez your desperate and wrong.
- Reply to this comment
- CHINA IS SO FAR AHEAD OF THE US THAT THEY COULD WIPE US OUT IN ONE BLOW..
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 02:32 PM : Sep 18, 2007
hahaha i''ll take that bet haji hahaha
please move to your chinese utopia then haji,,, lol
hahahaha - Reply to this comment
- monofoz your lonely stupid make zero seance you dicect quotes to try to prove jibberish. But I''''m stupid to try to reason with the village idiot.
Posted by crzmeat at 02:28 PM : Sep 18, 2007
Everyone misspells a word or two now and again, but for you to call anyone stupid is typical right wing logic, jeez get a grip and learn how to use your spell checker you idiot. - Reply to this comment
- I don''t understand this push for broader surveillance laws. The government has, under the 1974 legislation, the ability to conduct surveillance without a warrant as long as they provide evidence after-the-fact to the secret court which oversees government surveillance. This obsessive need to expand laws that have the potential to repeat the excesses of the McCarthy era, or the Sedition Act, is a threat to all Americans. Why is it that those who would abrogate our freedoms are the same ones who wave the flag the most vigorously? Seems like they''re using the magician''s trick of misdirection: "Nothing up my sleeve..."
- Reply to this comment
- IT IS SOMETHING THAT CNN AND OTHER NEWS KEEP SAYING THAT THE UNITED STATES IS STILL THE SUPER POWERS OF THE WORLD..
WORGE AGAIN---CHINA IS SO FAR AHEAD OF THE US THAT THEY COULD WIPE US OUT IN ONE BLOW..IT''S TIME FOR THE REAL NEWS TO GET OUT THAT WE CANT EVEN TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN..
CHINA IS SO MORE READY TO FINNISH US OFF..WHY DONT YOU SEE THAT FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW WE HAVE LET THEM KILL US SLOWLY AND OUR CHILDREN SLOWLY POISING US WITH FOOD,LED PAINT AND MORE...THINK ABOUT IT WHY DO YOU THINK OUR CHILDREN HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS IN LEARNING......
BETTER WAKE UP AMERICA...NOW THE US WANTS TO DECREASE OUR NAVY BY HALF..GREAT COME IN CHINA ..... - Reply to this comment
- monofoz your lonely stupid make zero seance you dicect quotes to try to prove jibberish. But I''m stupid to try to reason with the village idiot.
- Reply to this comment
- I''''''''''''''''m scared of liberals
Posted by crzmeat at 02:06 PM : Sep 18, 2007
What''''s wrong some liberal going to get you?
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, a U.S. government office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The attack claimed 168 lives and left over 800 injured. Until the September 11, 2001 attacks, it was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.[1]
right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh Oklahoma City bomber
GOP LOGIC: I''''m scared of liberals Posted by crzmeat at 01:52 PM : Sep 18, 2007 - Reply to this comment
- I''''''''m scared of liberals
Posted by crzmeat at 02:06 PM : Sep 18, 2007
What''s wrong some liberal going to get you?
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, a U.S. government office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The attack claimed 168 lives and left over 800 injured. Until the September 11, 2001 attacks, it was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.[1]
right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh Oklahoma City bomber - Reply to this comment
- I''''''''m scared of liberals
Posted by crzmeat at 01:52 PM : Sep 18, 2007
monofoz THANK-YOU you have just proved my point..
Posted by crzmeat at 02:06 PM : Sep 18, 2007
Surprise you''''re scared of liberals, well most sensible people know that right wing extremists are dangerous
Right Wing Abortion Terrorist Taunts Victims From Jail
Posted by Cliff Schecter at 3:36 PM on May 14, 2007.
Cliff Schecter: Imagine the media frenzy if Eric Rudolph were an Islamic terrorist instead of an anti-abortion obsessed, Christian right killer?
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, a U.S. government office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The attack claimed 168 lives and left over 800 injured. Until the September 11, 2001 attacks, it was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.[1]
right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh Oklahoma City bomber
Right Wing Abortion Terrorist Taunts Victims From Jail
Posted by Cliff Schecter at 3:36 PM on May 14, 2007. - Reply to this comment
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