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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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 Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject: President Slams The Press And Congress |
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Text of this morning's radio address delivered on TV
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051217.html
| Quote: | President's Remarks
10:06 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.
As President, I took an oath to defend the Constitution, and I have no greater responsibility than to protect our people, our freedom, and our way of life. On September the 11th, 2001, our freedom and way of life came under attack by brutal enemies who killed nearly 3,000 innocent Americans. We're fighting these enemies across the world. Yet in this first war of the 21st century, one of the most critical battlefronts is the home front. And since September the 11th, we've been on the offensive against the terrorists plotting within our borders.
One of the first actions we took to protect America after our nation was attacked was to ask Congress to pass the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act tore down the legal and bureaucratic wall that kept law enforcement and intelligence authorities from sharing vital information about terrorist threats. And the Patriot Act allowed federal investigators to pursue terrorists with tools they already used against other criminals. Congress passed this law with a large, bipartisan majority, including a vote of 98-1 in the United States Senate.
Since then, America's law enforcement personnel have used this critical law to prosecute terrorist operatives and supporters, and to break up terrorist cells in New York, Oregon, Virginia, California, Texas and Ohio. The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do: it has protected American liberty and saved American lives.
Yet key provisions of this law are set to expire in two weeks. The terrorist threat to our country will not expire in two weeks. The terrorists want to attack America again, and inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that law enforcement and intelligence officials have the tools they need to protect the American people.
The House of Representatives passed reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Yet a minority of senators filibustered to block the renewal of the Patriot Act when it came up for a vote yesterday. That decision is irresponsible, and it endangers the lives of our citizens. The senators who are filibustering must stop their delaying tactics, and the Senate must vote to reauthorize the Patriot Act. In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment.
To fight the war on terror, I am using authority vested in me by Congress, including the Joint Authorization for Use of Military Force, which passed overwhelmingly in the first week after September the 11th. I'm also using constitutional authority vested in me as Commander-in-Chief.
In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. Before we intercept these communications, the government must have information that establishes a clear link to these terrorist networks.
This is a highly classified program that is crucial to our national security. Its purpose is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks against the United States, our friends and allies. Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk. Revealing classified information is illegal, alerts our enemies, and endangers our country.
As the 9/11 Commission pointed out, it was clear that terrorists inside the United States were communicating with terrorists abroad before the September the 11th attacks, and the commission criticized our nation's inability to uncover links between terrorists here at home and terrorists abroad. Two of the terrorist hijackers who flew a jet into the Pentagon, Nawaf al Hamzi and Khalid al Mihdhar, communicated while they were in the United States to other members of al Qaeda who were overseas. But we didn't know they were here, until it was too late.
The authorization I gave the National Security Agency after September the 11th helped address that problem in a way that is fully consistent with my constitutional responsibilities and authorities. The activities I have authorized make it more likely that killers like these 9/11 hijackers will be identified and located in time. And the activities conducted under this authorization have helped detect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.
The activities I authorized are reviewed approximately every 45 days. Each review is based on a fresh intelligence assessment of terrorist threats to the continuity of our government and the threat of catastrophic damage to our homeland. During each assessment, previous activities under the authorization are reviewed. The review includes approval by our nation's top legal officials, including the Attorney General and the Counsel to the President. I have reauthorized this program more than 30 times since the September the 11th attacks, and I intend to do so for as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from al Qaeda and related groups.
The NSA's activities under this authorization are thoroughly reviewed by the Justice Department and NSA's top legal officials, including NSA's general counsel and inspector general. Leaders in Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times on this authorization and the activities conducted under it. Intelligence officials involved in this activity also receive extensive training to ensure they perform their duties consistent with the letter and intent of the authorization.
This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power under our laws and Constitution to protect them and their civil liberties. And that is exactly what I will continue to do, so long as I'm the President of the United States.
Thank you.
END 10:13 A.M. EST |
RIGHT ON!
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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kate
Admin
Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 1891
Location: Upstate, New York
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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at the link in Schadow''s post, there is a video. Well worth the watch, to see W's tone -- Wonder if the speech to the nation sunday night will be along these lines? (That video of a radio address has to be a first. )
| Quote: | | Leaders in Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times on this authorization and the activities conducted under it |
Time to send the cards, letters, emails
(1) to W, showing support
(2) to congresscritters, putting them on notice
It is quite painful for me, considering who my senators are, but I sent a blast off to Schumer last month ( He actually replied) And to add insult, my "Republican" congressman, Sweeney, actually was voting against the Patriot Act.
All this leaking, putting politics above national security , is as GW said aiding and abetting.
This is just the latest in a long line of national security leaks.
The domestic enemy of the this country is doing more damage to this country today than any foreign enemy is. They expect the President to fight THIS WOT with one hand tied behind his back. There is/will be, I hope, an investigation into all these leaks.
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one of..... We The People |
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directorblue
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 121
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:31 pm Post subject: . |
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The Defeatocrats, as usual, end up on the wrong side of history. First they criticize the President for not following the 9/11 Commission's dictates. Now they pillory the administration for following the commission's recommendations. But that's typical of their divided party, which can't reach consensus on anything important, least of all the war on terror.
http://directorblue.blogspot.com |
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PhantomSgt
Vice Admiral
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 972
Location: GUAM, USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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NOW Mr. President is the time to turn the FBI loose on the criminals that are undermining the WOT. Actually Mr. President it is long overdue considering the leaks of classified information to members of the press.
Set the dogs of justice loose Mr. President and hunt these traitors to ground.
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Retired AF E-8
Independent that leans right of center. |
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kimberly
PO2
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 377
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Has anyone heard any explanation as to why this was carried live on CNN and not Fox. It was as if Fox was totally taken off guard. |
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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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| PhantomSgt wrote: | | NOW Mr. President is the time to turn the FBI loose on the criminals that are undermining the WOT. |
Seems to me, in view of the threat posed by these leaks, the President would be well justified in ordering wiretaps on the NYT and WaPo. Of course, their leaks are usually transacted at night in an upper deck of a parking garage. 
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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SBD
Admiral
Joined: 19 Aug 2004
Posts: 1022
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Schadow wrote: | | PhantomSgt wrote: | | NOW Mr. President is the time to turn the FBI loose on the criminals that are undermining the WOT. |
Seems to me, in view of the threat posed by these leaks, the President would be well justified in ordering wiretaps on the NYT and WaPo. Of course, their leaks are usually transacted at night in an upper deck of a parking garage.
Schadow |
I wonder if anyone saw John McCain at one of those upper deck parking garages a few weeks ago!!
http://www.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21402
SBD |
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becca1223
PO3
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 293
Location: Colonial Heights, VA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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A smart man once said...
| Quote: | "If we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States, and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind set if you will, that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts, and that we're not really at war. I think that would be a terrible mistake for us."
Vice President Dick Cheney
September 7, 2004
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040907-8.html |
and he was right.
The GOP should run a new ad asking the Surrendercrats, "Have you forgotten?"! |
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Snipe
Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined: 03 Jun 2004
Posts: 574
Location: Peoria, Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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I just saw the President's speech on Fox. 3:00 PM.
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Tin Can Sailor |
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USAFE5
PO2
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 362
Location: Reno Nevada
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 12:52 am Post subject: |
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| becca1223 wrote: | A smart man once said...
| Quote: | "If we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States, and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind set if you will, that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts, and that we're not really at war. I think that would be a terrible mistake for us."
Vice President Dick Cheney
September 7, 2004
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040907-8.html |
and he was right.
The GOP should run a new ad asking the Surrendercrats, "Have you forgotten?"! |
And there is even a song already out that covers this message - Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten". They could probably ask him and get it for free
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"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I’m here to help." Ronald Reagan |
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dusty
Admiral
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 1264
Location: East Texas
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:17 am Post subject: |
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It's time to see some prosecutions on this one. Surely they won't let this slide.
Dusty
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Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right! |
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LewWaters
Admin
Joined: 18 May 2004
Posts: 4042
Location: Washington State
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Prosecute whoever it is "leaking" sensitive material to the press and then prosecute those that print sensitive material, especially knowing it is secret. Freedom of the Press was never intended to allow exposing State Secrets while we are war.  |
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Me#1You#10
Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 6503
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Dean Esmay pulls no punches...(emphasis original)
| Quote: | High Treason and the New York Times
by Dean
Sunday, December 18, 2005
At first I thought this business of monitoring phone conversations between people in the U.S. and suspected terrorists overseas was no big deal. Then I realized it is a big deal. We've been doing things like this for decades, yes, and that's not a secret and it's not illegal. But it was a secret that we were now doing it specifically to go after Al Qaeda. Now Al Qaeda's been put on notice that we're doing it, and on how we're doing it, and how they can work around it.
Tom McMahon says the New York Times must be asked some tough questions. Gateway Pundit says the leakers should be frog-marched to the hoosegow. Goldstein is sympathetic. Instapundit says this initially looked bad for the President, but by next week everyone will realize it looks way worse for the leakers.
I think they are all being rather timid. These leakers have exposed a perfectly legal, perfectly sensible secret government operation that has undoubtedly helped round up hundreds of members of Al Qaeda and saved the lives of countless Americans. Exposing such a secret program is not whistle-blowing--it is high treason.
And when I say "treason" I don't mean it in an insulting or hyperbolic way. I mean in a literal way: we need to find these 21st century Julius Rosenbergs, these modern day reincarnations of Alger Hiss, put them on trial by a jury of their peers, and if they are found guilty they should be hung by the neck until dead.
No sympathy. No mercy.
Am I angry? You bet I am. But not in an explosive way. Just in the same seething way I was angry on 9/11, and in the way I am still angry about that. These people have endangered American lives and American security. They need to be found, tried, and executed.
Dean's World
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kate
Admin
Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 1891
Location: Upstate, New York
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:46 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Dean Esmay:
These leakers have exposed a perfectly legal, perfectly sensible secret government operation that has undoubtedly helped round up hundreds of members of Al Qaeda and saved the lives of countless Americans. |
Channel Ten News, Columbus Ohio today cites one such example
| Quote: | Eavesdropping Program Netted Local Man
Dec 16, 2005, 05:35 PM
Reported by Kurt Ludlow
A former Columbus truck driver linked to Al-Qaeda was nabbed as part of a secret operation that's now out of the bag. The government spied on him and hundreds of other Americans without warrants.
It was a front page New York Times article that divulged for the first time that the National Security Agency spied on Americans, monitoring international phone calls and emails of hundreds of people including a Columbus man.
Columbus truck driver Iyman Farris pled guilty in 2003 to helping Al-Qaeda plan terrorist attacks in the US, and is was an admission that stunned his ex wife
more... |
they weren't spying on Betty Crocker
DOJsentencing report on Faris | Quote: | <snip>
According to Faris’ admission, the operational leader then told Faris that al Qaeda was planning two simultaneous attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The al Qaeda leader spoke with Faris about destroying a bridge in New York City by severing its suspension cables, and tasked Faris with obtaining the equipment needed for that operation. The leader also explained that al Qaeda was planning to derail trains, and asked Faris to procure the tools for that plot as well.
Faris admitted that upon returning to the United States from Pakistan in April 2002, he researched “gas cutters” - the equipment for severing bridge suspension cables - and the New York City bridge on the Internet. Between April 2002 and March 2003, he sent several coded messages through another individual to his longtime friend in Pakistan, indicating he had been unsuccessful in his attempts to obtain the necessary equipment. Faris admitted to traveling to New York City in late 2002 to examine the bridge, and said he concluded that the plot to destroy the bridge by severing cables was unlikely to succeed because of the bridge’s security and structure. In early 2003, he sent a message that “the weather is too hot” - a coded message indicating that the bridge plot was unlikely to succeed. |
ps to the Leakers
FBI's Mueller said: More than 100 terror attacks foiled worldwide
NY Times et al, although facilitators, are not the source. The Leakers are. And if it's someone within government, we need to know who
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one of..... We The People |
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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | [Iyman] Faris admitted that upon returning to the United States from Pakistan in April 2002, he researched “gas cutters” - the equipment for severing bridge suspension cables - and the New York City bridge on the Internet. Between April 2002 and March 2003, he sent several coded messages through another individual to his longtime friend in Pakistan, indicating he had been unsuccessful in his attempts to obtain the necessary equipment. Faris admitted to traveling to New York City in late 2002 to examine the bridge, and said he concluded that the plot to destroy the bridge by severing cables was unlikely to succeed because of the bridge’s security and structure. |
At least we can take some comfort in knowing that Al Q has a certain Wile E Coyote approach to wreaking havoc. The image of a bearded kook sitting on a 14- or 18-inch diameter stranded steel cable (a nearly infinite heatsink) trying to burn through it with his Acme cutting torch is just too delicious. 
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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