Ex-NSA Chief Assails Bush Taps

[struggle4progress]

By Noah Shachtman| Also by this reporter
13:30 PM May, 09, 2006

NEW YORK -- Former National Security Agency director Bobby Ray Inman lashed out at the Bush administration Monday night over its continued use of warrantless domestic wiretaps, making him one of the highest-ranking former intelligence officials to criticize the program in public, analysts say.

"This activity is not authorized," Inman said, as part of a panel discussion on eavesdropping that was sponsored by The New York Public Library. The Bush administration "need(s) to get away from the idea that they can continue doing it." <snip>

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70855-0.html?tw=wn_index_2

[IndianaGreen]

1. Inman is a Cold War hawk and he was with CIA

If he says that NSA is doing illegal things, you better believe he is right.

[struggle4progress]

3. Seems to be widespread discomfort: wonder if the oilgarchy has ..

.. sufficiently consolidated control to steal Nov 06.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Makes ya wonder IF, instead of Al Quaeda calling ...

it might be someone's Democratic Opponent that "the spooks" are getting the scoop on for Rove-Co? :scared:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. Bio on Bobby Ray Inman.....

<http://www.nndb.com/people/392/000058218/>

[Erika]

2. Bush follows Nixonian thought

If the president does it, it's legal. I'm so glad some patriots are finally coming out and putting W against the wall.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. Herr Busch makes Nixon look like a Boy Scout, IMHO,....

...and Nixon was involved in quite a few illegal actions going back to his days of working with Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover.

[rodeodance]

4. Untile Senators step us and STOP NOW, it will continue.

......The Bush administration "need(s) to get away from the idea that they can continue doing it." <snip>

[annabanana]

5. It is infuriating...

that this is continuing. They have admitted to it. It is clearly illegal. And yet the media keeps calling it just a "wiretap" controversy.... The lack of warrants is the issue, and that's clearly not getting through the fog.

The polls on this question would reflect it if people understood what's going on here.

[ShortnFiery]

7. Just because "the sheeple" are afraid, doesn't make it Constitutional!

The American People are so afraid that they don't fully realize the profound ancillary DESTRUCTION that warrant-less wiretaps will result in if allowed to continue. Tragic as well as CRIMINAL! :grr:

[enough]

8. k&r

[babylonsister]

11. How can Inman be against the admin's use of wiretapping, but

FOR Hayden, the man who was partially responsible for implementing their policies?

:shrug:

[xchrom]

12. that's what i want to know.

hayden is four square for spying on large masses of people.

while i applaud his coming out against bushco's spying -- being for haydon is something i'ld want him to discuss.

[young_at_heart]

13. How do all the senators feel about wiretapping?

I know whatever Bush tells Dole/Burr they will rubberstamp it.......I've finally given up trying to e-mail them about issues. It seems to be a complete waste of time.

[cirrostratus]

14. NSA is spying on ALL domestic phone calls in the US

According to USA Today, the NSA has been compiling a database of all domestic calls in the US.

The article is here http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

"NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
Updated 5/11/2006 12:30 AM ET

By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY
The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY."

[Bruden]

15. business as usual for *