THL

I am sure that even Bushie is more intelligent to just point at someone yelling "Him...Him...with the dark skin and the dark hair - That's the one to listen to, y'all!"

There had to be some sort of profiling - I am sure they did not just pick people at random - or else they would never find anyone. I do have that bit of faith in our gov't.

__________________
"To dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person you are."-Sholem Asch

"I always turn to the sports page first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures."-Earl Warren

"I didn't intend for this to take on a political tone. I'm just here for the drugs."-Nancy Reagan, when asked a political question at a "Just Say No" rally

"He no play-a da game, he no make-a da rules."-Earl Butz, on the Pope's attitude toward birth control

Shek

So far, the only indications are that the conversations monitored involved a foreign telephone number. Thus, there was something that keyed the NSA into the particular foreign number.

__________________
"So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

Monk

Could the criteria have been "calls made to the middle east and North Africa" or calls made to islamic countries?

__________________
"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been tried from time to time. "

"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."

Sir Winston Churchill

Shek

I'm sure key words like "praise be to my homey OBL!" and "Zarkman for President of the Caliphate!" probably earned a telehpone number some special attention.

Monk

Yes, this one would make a phone number very interesting.

THL

Their phone tapping plan worked, they caught some people. Even if it turns out that it was a little shady...I am okay with that. It worked. It potentially kept me and my family safer and did not harm us in any way.

I feel as though I cannot bite the hand that feeds me, if you will. They are watching out for the US by means that the average citizen is not able to do themselves.

Shek

I don't know. I've never worked at the NSA, am not a lawyer, and so any specifics would be pure speculation. It's probably a Catch-22 for the administration right now - the more information they provide, the more exoneration they'll receive, but it will come at the price of a less effective program and jeopardizing the national security of the US. So, I think some details will dribble out, but I wouldn't expect too much.

Bin Laden stopped using his sat phone once some Clinton Administration jackass told a reporter that we listened in to his conservations. That was the end of our ability to track him in near real time. One can only speculate how far reaching the effect of these revelations will be.

Monk

I am imagining the guy who made calls to phone sex numbers and had every security agency listening in on him.

Shek

Ever seen pictures of the "entertainment agents" on the other end of the line? I'm sure it's enough to spoil one's appetite.

THL

Whatever - That guy is a hero to them!! I'd be surprised if he has not been invited to the White House for dinner yet.

Monk

I have heard some grizzly tales, alright.

Shek

You mean the Clinton White House? The person could sit next to Monica

Shek

Here's some information on FISA and the FISC from a critic of the setup:

http://fly.hiwaay.net/~pspoole/fiscshort.html

And here's a viewpoint (from a conservative blog) that argues that "the president has the power to conduct warantless [sic] surveillance of foreign powers conspiring to kill Americans or attack the government. The Fourth Amendment, which prohibits "unreasonable" searches and seizures has not been interpreted by the Supreme Court to restrict this inherent presidential power." He goes on to state that FISA cannot limit this presidential power.

http://hughhewitt.com/archives/2005/...hp#000808#more

Interesting stuff. We'll see where the road goes on this one.

Parihaka

I'm surprised this is being raised now. Echelon has been operating since the late forties and fulfills this function as part of its duties.
From above source

Parihaka

here's a link to some of the known data on it

http://cryptome.org/cryptout.htm#Echelon