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FBI admits it violated controls on data gathering

By Pat Reber Mar 9, 2007, 22:41 GMT

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Get RealMar 9th, 2007 - 23:30:00


This is exactly why we originally criticized this data gathering policy when it was enacted.

The way it bypassed judicial oversight almost guaranteed they would abuse it.

The intent of tracking terrorist behavior is good, but as we see, when the foxes in the bush administration have the key to the hen house, they can't be trusted with it.

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All of the name calling ... who's 'right' now?Mar 9th, 2007 - 23:32:26


Does anyone remember the virulent name calling from those on the 'political right', because we opposed these 'unchecked policies' when they were first enacted?

They shamelessly attacked us, saying we were overly and foolishly concerned that abuses would happen (repeatedly saying incorrect and unfounded things like 'You just want the terrorists to win')

The reality was, we just wanted 'legal protections' put into place that would prevent this kind of abuse.

I can't tell you how many times they asked me 'Why do you hate freedom?'

Well, my question to them now is ... 'Why can't you understand what freedom is?'

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If you've done nothing wrong...Mar 10th, 2007 - 00:49:54

'If you've done nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about.' Add this to the list of BS from the Bush apologists

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SP4: Consider this:Mar 10th, 2007 - 18:33:38

These things happen to you every day, by corporations. They sift your records and you never know it.

The idea that you have an expectation of privacy on records i.e. phone, credit, etc., that are held by OTHER entities is absurd.

Read the 4th amendment, consider it's origins, the time when it was written and ask if this is really relevant to the time we live in.

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SP4: I,m voting for Hillary!Mar 10th, 2007 - 18:37:02

Where was the outrage when Clinton appropriated 800 FBI records of his political enemies?

Too bad we can't ask Vince Foster.

By the way, I'm voting for Hillary. If she wins, she will have to sit in the chair her husband got a hummer in. I'll bet she gives it a good scrubbing.

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RobertMar 10th, 2007 - 18:45:24

Yeah, Boo Hoo. Real thinks we employ choir boys to do the hard dirty work of counterintel. People who would risk prosecution to help Americans stay safe.

I'll take one of these guys to 1000 Patrick Leahy's any day of the week. Congress is occupied by traitors.

Time to grow up.Like SP4 says, over and over, time to get real, real.

Rock on.

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SurrealMar 10th, 2007 - 18:47:35

Name calling? Who's right now? Protections against this kind of abuse? The 'intent' of tracking terrorist behavior is good? Why can't you understand what freedom is?

This is surreal. Your country is in real danger of losing a city to a nuclear blast. I couldn't stomach re-reading the quotes above in the wake of that.

I'm not disputing your respective claims; if only because they smack of: 'The town may be ablaze, but dammit keep those firemen off everybody's lawns!'

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Man, I wish I had said that....Mar 10th, 2007 - 22:32:10

'Your country is in real danger of losing a city to a nuclear blast. I couldn't stomach re-reading the quotes above in the wake of that.

I'm not disputing your respective claims; if only because they smack of: 'The town may be ablaze, but dammit keep those firemen off everybody's lawns!''

Dead on, unfortunately.

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SP4: We do...Mar 11th, 2007 - 00:09:18

...understand what freedom is. Unfortunately, most of the complainers fail to realize that the Constitution is neither the bible, or a suicide pact.

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sp 4-2Mar 11th, 2007 - 04:28:31

Would this result in the release of thousands of Muslims indicted and imprisoned because of FBI and their co-conspirator's conspiracies?

NO!
So what is the effect of this acceptance and repentance if there i9s any?

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sick of moonbatsMar 11th, 2007 - 10:17:56

'Would this result in the release of thousands of Muslims indicted and imprisoned because of FBI and their co-conspirator's conspiracies?'


The idea that there have been 'thousands of Muslims indicted and imprisoned' because of some vast conspiracy is idiotic. The majority of Muslims in prison converted to islam in prison. Good grief...

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tonny from belgiumMar 11th, 2007 - 11:51:20

A lot of the comments here are realy absurd.Thinking seems to become a crime and is replaced with muscleflexing .Over and over again the same simpletons defend Bush on account that without hisd presence your country would become the tartget of so called terrorists .How convenient that after the demise of communism this new ennemy arised indeed.Convenient for the military industrial complex which became obsolete overnight and was desperately looking for a good reason to continue selling and developping weapons .
So now you are faced with the situation that a few thousand imbeciles from Al Quaida have become the biggest excuse for the record military spending that occurs in the US.As if the war against these idiots need this kind of overspending to be fought.
That is the solution for the simpleminded which are unable to understand anything that stretches further than the Batman and Superman logics .
Does anybody realy think that the motivation for these guys to commit their crimes is as simple as jealousy for the lifestyle of the west,hatred of freedom and liberty ?Those who reduce complex issues to this kind of statements are beyond any poosibility to understand the world as it is .
They rely on tainted information and propaganda ,just like their opponents in fact .
To understand for example the motivation and mentality of the arab people I would suggest to rtead Robert Frisk ,a notorious english reporter .You will discover how elaborate and complex the situation is.
Summarized I would say to all:do not shrink the world to your mental capabilities,rather expand your mental capabilities to understand the complexity of everything .

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SP4: Tony and the MICMar 11th, 2007 - 20:21:16

First, Tony, this is not, as you suggest, unfathonable.

I have been hearing about the military industrial complex for 4 decades, and it is hogwash. The bonehead conspiracists have been rowing this boat forever. Not once, can they show any real impact of such a fantasy. Other fantasies: Dick Cheney and ( insert anything you want to, everyone else does), the Loch Ness monster, theory of Atlantis, spirit mediums, etc.

We don't need to invent enemies because they invent themselves. If you disagree, go read about the poisonings and assassinations in the world. Totalitarianism is as alive today as it was 50 years ago. It will never go away because people will enslave themselves if properly motivated. Just go ask the Venezuelans

You, yourself, live under a mantle of freedom that we, the USA, partially provide. If not, you would be speaking Russian for the last 40 years. I can't help this, except to say that it seems to serve the greater good.

The middle east is just Africa with money. Remove the cash and they'd be herding goats. Instead, they are world players. Is Islam complex? No more than any other religion. Are middle east politics complex? No more than any place else.

We have choices. I have already picked a side. You should too.

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SP4-2Mar 11th, 2007 - 20:51:11

You can say the moon is dark and sun is black! It is your opinion and you are entitled to it. The wolf had its own opinion and justifuication to eat the lamb. THE FACT REMAINS THAT LOTS OF MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED, LAST TWO FROM ALBANY, NY., BY A CORRUPT COURT ALONG WITH FBI.

How many people were in G-bay and did they attack US or any other westtern country?
What do you think of WTC destruction being announced, half hour before the planes hit them, watch UK news and the video on you tube.

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SP4: Hell, I don't know...Mar 11th, 2007 - 22:48:08

This is the same You Tube running the conspiricy tape that was completely debunked?

Tough break for the last two. I know what you mean. Louis Libby got railroaded too. I don't see anyone crying about that in lib land...? Perhaps Patrick Leahy can comment on that...

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