From: "Robert G Lewis" 

I'm wondering right now just what has been monitored. I don't have any
reservations about targeting specific individuals ( with easily obtained
warrants). This appears to be far more than that. Blanket monitoring on a
large scale basis which will produce a LOT of noise to be weeded out.  If
they are doing large scale blind monitoring I can understand why they
couldn't get a warrant though .  I do think warrants require a few
specifics other than "We want to listen in on any phone call made to
anyone outside the US when the mood suits us" .

Right now I'm staying away from the NSA dogfight ( as much as possible
) until I know more about what and who is being monitored.


"Mark"  wrote in message
news:43b3662b$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>I agree. We're not where we need to be yet. But I don't think the solution
>is to shut down the noise that we don't yet have the ability to parse
>properly -- it may be true that that lack of ability will prevent our
>ability to stop the next attack, but having the info will likely still be
>helpful from a forensic point-of-view, helping us get up to the speed we
>need to be at.
>
> "Robert G Lewis"  wrote in message
> news:43b36518$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>> "Mark"  wrote in message
>> news:43b35f97$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> But why do you "reckon those rules are out the window
now," has it been
>>> set in stone that Bush (and Carter and Reagan and Clinton in various
>>> iterations) having the NSA listen to terrorist collaborators here in the
>>> US talking with terrorists in foreign countries violated any law? I
>>> don't think it has, nor do I think it will.
>>>
>>> You do remember that the terrorists that killed a lot of people in NYC,
>>> DC, and in the countryside of PA, were communicating with their fellow
>>> whack jobs in Afghanistan and other countries from our mainland, don't
>>> you? Don't you further think if we'd been monitoring those calls (or
>>> hadn't had "the wall") that perhaps a lot of
Americans would still be
>>> alive today? 
>>>
>>
>>
>> I doubt that  it would have had ANY significant effect on 9/11. We still
>> don't have the translation capabilities we need imo. Also the current
>> widespread monitoring will be generating a tremendous amount of noise
>> which will require investigation and resources before any useful
>> intelligence can be developed.
>>
>> Bob Lewis
>>
>>
>>
>
>

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