Cheney Reportedly Pushed NSA to Spy Domestically
In the wake of Sept 11, the vice president argued that the NSA should intercept purely domestic calls and e-mails without warrants, reports the N Times The NSA ultimately decided against the idea, but this report leaves no doubt about Cheney's regard for civil liberties .In the wake of Sept. 11, the vice president argued that the NSA should intercept purely domestic calls and e-mails without warrants, reports the N.Y. Times.
The NSA ultimately decided against the idea, but this report leaves no doubt about Cheney’s regard for civil liberties.
In these critical times, your support is crucial...N.Y. Times:
WASHINGTON, May 13 ? In the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, Vice President Dick Cheney and his top legal adviser argued that the National Security Agency should intercept purely domestic telephone calls and e-mail messages without warrants in the hunt for terrorists, according to two senior intelligence officials.
But N.S.A. lawyers, trained in the agency’s strict rules against domestic spying and reluctant to approve any eavesdropping without warrants, insisted that it should be limited to communications into and out of the country, said the officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss the debate inside the Bush administration late in 2001.
The N.S.A.’s position ultimately prevailed. But just how Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the director of the agency at the time, designed the program, persuaded wary N.S.A. officers to accept it and sold the White House on its limits is not yet fully clear.
As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.
Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality behind the headlines — without compromise.
"Truthdig’s a lifeline for anyone who values democracy especially during these challenging times.”
— Fernando Villamare, Los Angeles, CA
Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.