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Wiretapping Program Ruled Legal

BuhDuh writes "The New York Times is carrying a story concerning that well known bastion of legal authority, the 'Foreign Intelligence Surveillance' court, which has ruled that the National Security Agency's warrantless eavesdropping program was perfectly legal. It says, 'A federal intelligence court, in a rare public opinion, is expected to issue a major ruling validating the power of the president and Congress to wiretap international phone calls and intercept e-mail messages without a court order, even when Americans' private communications may be involved, according to a person with knowledge of the opinion.'"

12 of 575 comments (clear)

  1. so what? by larry+bagina · · Score: -1, Troll

    google just announced layoffs and is shutting down 6 services you probably haven't heard of! Also, Obama just wiped his ass with biodegradable toilet paper!

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  2. Re:Cairo by plasmacutter · · Score: -1, Troll

    you are aware that U.S. citizens are being held at Guantanamo?

    Citation?

    Obama's continued reiterations that he intends to repatriate the detainees at guantanimo starting immediately after his inauguration?

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    VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
  3. Wiretapping Program Ruled Legal by pleasegetreal · · Score: -1, Troll

    Well Duh. Mod down if you want, but the law is pretty clearly written. Don't like it? Vote out the Democrat dominated Congress that blessed it.

  4. Re:Obama does *not* support it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Please don't bring up the FISA bill. We've been over that already. We all know what happened. It doesn't change the fact that Obama does not support illegal wiretapping.

    Oh, I see. GWB2 doesn't support illegal wiretapping, he merely voted for it. Pretty cool loophole. When he takes office in a few days, he'll be able to do all kinds of stuff that he doesn't support. He'll just do those things with great reluctance.

  5. Re:What is an intelligence court? by MobyDisk · · Score: 1, Troll

    Sorry to reply to my own post, but this article gets more absurd as I go:

    The appeals court is expected to uphold a secret ruling...

    Uphold a what?

    ...issued last year by the intelligence court that it oversees, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, or FISA, court. In that initial opinion, the secret court found that Congress had acted within its authority

    Wait... so a secret court, established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, ruled that secret actions of that secret court are legal? Shocking!

    It found that the Protect America Act did not violate the Constitution because the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, contained an exception for the collection of foreign intelligence information, according to the person familiar with the ruling.

    It does?

    Amendment IV

    The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

    I guess they mean the Border Search Exception...

  6. Re:Cairo by N1AK · · Score: -1, Troll

    While I am in favor of them getting trials, I don't think they should have the same rights as US citizens.

    They should have more rights than most American citizens. The average American citizen has done nothing to deserve rights, even going so far as to be complicit in the holding without trial of people for over 6 years. It is the US administration, and those who supported it who should be tried.

    For example, I don't want to hear about Ahmed being found not guilty because someone didn't read him his Miranda rights.

    Then demand that your government employees acts within the laws they are bound by you ignorant fool or just give up the pretence of law, order and rights and let mob justice rule, then see how much further you can fall from grace.

  7. Irony by deblau · · Score: 0, Troll

    Doesn't the court realize that by ruling FISA entirely useless, they just ruled themselves useless?

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    This post expresses my opinion, not that of my employer. And yes, IAAL.
  8. Re:Excuse me while I... by Stormx2 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Nobody is seriously talking about taking your guns away. With the modern mind-control technologies, it's really not necessary.

    You know, most people just call it Fox News

  9. Re:Cairo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The "Laws of War"?

    The US doesn't believe in anyone's laws except its own - and not even then if it's inconvenient.

    But don't worry, the days of the USA's world dominance are drawing to a close.

    And billions will breathe a sigh of relief when it does.

  10. Re:Cairo by deKernel · · Score: 0, Troll

    If while on vacation I knowingly AND willingly attempted to kill innocent people, I would expect to be thrown into a hole.

    The military tribunals have releases people from such military detentions so the process does work.

  11. Re:Cairo by MadMidnightBomber · · Score: 0, Troll

    If you think a 15 year old deserves a bullet to the head, then

    FUCK YOU

    --
    "It doesn't cost enough, and it makes too much sense."
  12. Re:Egypt has never been a democracy by taucross · · Score: -1, Troll

    "Egypt instantly fails the first test anyone would do when trying to determine see if a country is a democracy. They don't have any free or fair elections. Hosni Mubarak proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt."

    "United States instantly fails the first test anyone would do when trying to determine see if a country is a democracy. They don't have any free or fair elections. George W Bush proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt."

    There, fixed that for you

    --
    "In the absence of the ability to establish the attribute of truth they tried to establish the noble attributes."