posted January 14, 2006 09:00 PM              

Confused though how you might be appalled (you are appalled, right?) by that monster but see no problem with the latest Bush escapade. It's all a part of the same mind-set.

Also, as ECHELON was active before the Clinton administration and the USA isn't the only participant, it seems biased to label it "a spy program of Commander Corruption".

posted January 15, 2006 12:17 AM              

Queen Noor is American by birth...so even tho she has been the Queen of Jordon for years, she has an American background....and has experienced the best of both worlds, which would make her more than perfect for the job...*sigh*

Can you imagine what it would be like to have such an umblemished and very able person as the head of our country?

Pipe dream, I know...but wouldn't it be great?

posted January 15, 2006 11:35 AM            

I am however pointing out the heads up their @sses hypocrisy of leftist democrats, in the press, in Congress, in groups and individuals.....who have been aware of ECHELON since at least the late 1990's, who are also aware ECHELON snoops on about 3 BILLION private communications between people every DAY...including American citizens but who didn't think that is a violation of their civil rights.

On the other hand, they are wetting themselves over a spy program specifically targeted at terrorists, terrorist cells, terrorist supporting nations, terrorist recruiters, terrorist funders and terrorist sympathizers some of whom happen to be in the US.

They are hypocrites of the first order.

Commander Corruption was well aware of ECHELON and did nothing to stop the program. In fact, he upgraded the hardware to make ECHELON more capable and also even more intrusive...if one wants to view the program as a real or potential attack on civil liberties.

There are only two constructions I can place on leftists howling at the moon about the Bush program and failing to get their panties in a bunch over ECHELON.

They are hate filled hypocrites who oppose anything Bush does or...

they are pulling for the terrorists and attempting to assist them....which is exactly what leftists did do when the NY Times broke the story and every terrorist on earth....including those in the US ditched their cell phones and started devising another means of communicating amongst themselves.

posted January 15, 2006 04:42 PM              

ECHELON has been a sore subject since well before the late 1990's. And I think you know that.

Of course Clinton knew about Echelon. But I'm sure he didn't know everything. The NSA doesn't spill their beans so easily ... not even to Presidents. Why should they? Presidents come and go. It wouldn't be ... let's say ... prudent, shall we? Just for jokes.

Whether or not Reagan or Clinton single-handedly gave them more power is debatable. Although, I admit that Clinton's brilliant idea to feed ECHELON-captured information to several select multinational corporations to assist in their business dealings pi$$es me of in particular. (somehow or another that helps with the war on terrorism, I guess)

Also, I would argue the statement that the lefists haven't howled at the moon over Echelon. It's the media that remains strangely silent.

Got any ideas about that?

Oh ... one more thing ... it was Reagan that gave the order to listen in on the Maryland Congressman's phone calls. Strom Thurmond's calls too.

posted January 15, 2006 08:51 PM              

It's just brevity is greatly appreciated and rhetoric abhorred.

If memory serves something was heard on NPR about Bush spying on student protesters btw. That is different than email snooping which is also not considered to be a good thing. (sorry no reference for that student protestor comment)

I think the main argument from Bush's detractors (nevermind the echelon nonsense) is that there should a check/balance. He can spy on whomever he wants as long as there at least some official record of it and at least some disinterested party that knows about it and can blow the whistle. That isn't too much to ask IMO and is in fact how the FISA court works.

posted January 15, 2006 09:18 PM              

Secret courts make me nervous. I'm old fashioned like that.

posted January 17, 2006 11:46 AM              

I don't mind the lack of links. There's nothing worse than when we engage in a battle of the links. If I slog thru one more NewsMax link I might be sick.

I have heard of the Santa Cruz case. It's one of many.

posted January 18, 2006 11:41 AM              

conflakes
my vote
would
have to
go to
Ms
Lily Savage

she is rather
partial to
a pink feather
boa..

posted January 18, 2006 02:20 PM              

Hillary would faint!

Queen Noor would toss it in the trash!

posted January 18, 2006 07:17 PM              

and you
dear lady
would
look
positively
delightful

wearing
it

posted February 25, 2006 03:11 AM              

so now u americans have already planned who is the next person who is going to take advantage of your trust!!??

haha!

"vote someone because he/she belongs to some sunsign?"