Again, your assertion was: “ conducting wiretaps of specific individuals without warrants.”

What part of the NYT piece you cite says that we are or were doing that?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/politics/16program.html?ei=5090&en=e32072d786623ac1&ex=1292389200&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

to dmac: I would think that terrorist suspects get picked up all the time — I’m not sure what your point is here

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-recess-appointments-glance,1,3699037.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

To Clint: it was published in the Times — when I get home tonight I will find a link, and to dmac: I’ll take a look at the Turkish article when I get home

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=93048

Of course, nary a word from the high horse of pre – eminent authority on the world at large -namely, the NYT.

More NSA/FISA, please.

“In my mind, there is a huge distinction between data mining and conducting wiretaps of specific individuals without warrants.”

Agreed. Can you point me in the direction of ANY evidence that the latter has been occurring (within the U.S.)?

I’ve seen many articles that insinuate that this happened, but in each case vaguely enough that it could be referring to something totally innocent — like data mining, or signal intelligence on foreign soil.

I don’t think Bush is evil at all. However, that doesn’t necessarily imply that “there’s no logical reason why he would skip warrants for traditional wiretaps, if they are so easy to get.” I think he skipped the warrants because he finds them inconvenient and sees little value in the checks and balances of our system. His administration has placed people in indefinite confinement at Gitmo without charging them with anything; he has used recess appointments more than any other recent President, often to appoint people who would not have been approved by Congress (e.g., John Bolton); his administration has ignored treaties which we have signed. These acts are all emblematic of an administration which is disdainful of the other branches of government and ignores them when convenient to do so. Whether this is logical or not, I leave to you to decide.

You’ll notice there’s nothing in there indicating this body armor problem is the result of a lack of money brought on by tax cuts. Peter, your arguments would be more formidable if it didn’t appear you reached your conclusions first and worked backwards.

You seem to agree that if it’s data-mining we’re talking about, than that’s probably legit, but if it’s more traditional taps done without a warrant, that’s a problem. The indications so far seem to be that it is data-mining we’re talking about, or something along those lines.

I asked you once before why you thought President Bush would deliberately skip the warrant process if it was such a simple and easy thing to do, and your answer was along the lines that it’s because he’s an imperial president bent on grabbing power. That’s really begging the question. Unless you assume Bush is evil, there’s no logical reason why he would skip warrants for traditional wiretaps, if they are so easy to get. That says to me it’s even more likely we’re talking about new technology.

Now maybe I’m wrong and then you’ll be able to say “I told you so” to everyone in your gulag cell someday, but I’m guessing the nation will not be crushed under the iron first of the president over the next three years.