Originally published February 4 2006
Bush under attack for his use of eavesdropping over the past four years
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to a senior intelligence official, President Bush has authorized an eavesdropping program within the U.S. intermittently over the past four years, and many government officials, fearful of civil liberty violations, have promised to conduct hearings into the matter in early 2006.
President Bush has personally authorized a secretive eavesdropping program in the United States more than three dozen times since October 2001, a senior intelligence official said Friday night.
The disclosure follows angry demands by lawmakers earlier in the day for a congressional inquiry into whether the monitoring by the highly secretive National Security Agency violated civil liberties.
``There is no doubt that this is inappropriate,'' declared Republican Sen.
Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In a broad defense of the program put forward hours later, a senior intelligence official told The Associated Press that the eavesdropping was narrowly designed to go after possible terrorist threats in the United States.
The official said that since October 2001, authority for the program has been renewed more than three dozen times.
Each time, the president's legal counsel and the attorney general certified the lawfulness of the program, the official said.
At each review, government officials have provided a fresh assessment of the terrorist threat, showing that there is a catastrophic risk to the country or government, the official said.
``Only if those conditions apply do we even begin to think about this,'' he said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the intelligence operation.
``The president has authorized NSA to fully use its resources - let me underscore this now - consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution to defend the United States and its citizens,'' the official said, adding that congressional leaders have also been briefed more than a dozen times.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml