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I thought Iraq was supposed to be "protection" as in "fight them there so we don't have to fight them over here".

But, really, if the American people don't think the Executive could have obtained court warrants to carry out these actions supposedly intended to "protect" them from crime... What are they saying, that a judge can't recognise clear and present danger when they see it, or that there was really no evidence to support the claim that these actions were taken as "protection"?

Maybe the American people would like a taste of UK-style surveillance state, for "protection"...

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 01:09:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
UK style surveillance is pretty tame compared to the prospect of having all of your communications tapped without oversight and without the need for a warrant.

Of course communications are tapped in the UK as well. It's just that no one admits to it. And it can't be used as evidence in court without at least some token nominal legal oversight - which makes it less of a free for all than in the US, where the Preznit has decidered he can listen to anyone for any reason and it's okay for (here comes the cliche...) national security reasons.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 07:44:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
UK style surveillance is pretty tame compared to the prospect of having all of your communications tapped without oversight and without the need for a warrant.

But if you have nothing to hide you won't be wiretapped. Honest!

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 07:53:20 PM EST
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Well you do have the UKUSA signals intelligence agreement, from 1943 which is apparently still in force which would  allow both governments and intelligence services to bypass the legal restrictions placed on them. Neither government or intelligence service is meant to spy on their own people. but under this exchange of intelligence, both governments could simply spy on each others populations and pass the information over.

Perhaps the change in the rules signal that President Bush no longer trusts British intelligence?

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 07:58:17 PM EST
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<head explodes>

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 08:09:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
and there was me thinking you paranoid enough to already consider something like this.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat Dec 9th, 2006 at 08:35:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
It's been CW in the tech-community, since the mid-70s, all foreign calls and all calls within the DC/Arlington area are taped by the NSA.
by ATinNM on Sun Dec 10th, 2006 at 12:30:12 PM EST
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