Bush officials quietly use case of 3 missing U.S. soldiers to argue for new spy powers

[babylonsister]

Bush officials quietly use case of 3 missing U.S. soldiers to argue for new spy powers
The Associated Press
Published: August 3, 2007


WASHINGTON: When three soldiers were abducted in Iraq in mid-May, U.S. government lawyers began drafting emergency warrants to try to monitor communications that could lead to the suspected captors.

The Bush administration and its allies, The Associated Press has learned, have argued that the legal work ate up precious hours because of an odd twist to a U.S. surveillance law. One of the soldiers was later found dead in the Euphrates River, and an al-Qaida offshoot has said the others are dead as well.

Normally, warrants would not be needed to eavesdrop on foreigners in Iraq or elsewhere. However, since a secret federal court ruling was issued earlier this year, the Bush administration believes the government must obtain legal approval to listen in on foreign suspects when their conversations cross into the extensive U.S. communications network.

The administration wants to amend the law to allow such monitoring without delay. Many Democrats agree that adjustments are needed, but skeptics say the soldiers' story is being misused.

The political debate about the highly classified surveillance hinges on crucial civil liberties questions: Who should be able to approve this eavesdropping — the attorney general or a federal judge appointed to a secretive court? And at what point are approvals needed?

more...

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/03/america/NA-GEN-US-Intelligence-Powers.php

[kurth]

1. Give him more extrajudicial power, or you're not supporting our troops

Same old crap that worked every time.

[hobbit709]

2. Yeah, right.

Whoever grabbed the troops in Iraq was going to talk it over with their cohorts in a secret cell here in the US.:sarcasm: