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Sahara
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Joined: 17 May 2002
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 Posted: 05/19/06 - 09:30 Post subject: In Other Word, No Comment
I've been follow ing(albeit not very closely) the nomination and confirmation hearings of Gen. Hayden to lead the CIA. It's not whether or not he gets confirmed, it's the political dance at its most energetic that's catching my interest. Hayden strikes me as a very bright man. He really knows how to dance too.
Is anyone else following this issue?
| Quote: | "Sir," he said steadily, "it was not my decision. I briefed fully whatever audience was in front of me, and I wouldn't attempt to explain the administration's decision."
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The hearing put General Hayden in an awkward position. President Bush has tried to keep secret the details of the eavesdropping, in which the security agency monitored, without seeking court warrants, the international communications of those suspected of having links to terrorists. Yet White House officials keep getting dragged into talking about the program, especially in the effort to get General Hayden confirmed.
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So the nominee was forced to explore ever more novel ways of saying no comment as senators, mostly Democrats, pressed him to go public with details. |
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/washington/19scene.html?ex=1305691200&en=adaead45444a38a2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
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robp
Pyromaniac
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Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
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Posted: 05/19/06 - 11:10 Post subject:
I should be following more closely than I am.
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j1miller
Puppy Love!
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Joined: 07 Jul 2002
Posts: 15447
Location: Lost on trail.
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Posted: 05/23/06 - 10:34 Post subject:
I have not been following it either. I should keep up on my current events better than I do. 
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Capt Kirk
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Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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Posted: 06/01/06 - 16:58 Post subject:
Prior to 9-11, the intelligence community separated military and civilian intelligence.
There's even a law that says military intel may not be used against a US citizen or entity, home or abroad. That means that any intel accidentally collected against a US person had to be sequestered, turned over to a special lawyer for review. It flows from the US Constitution's 4th Ammendment of unreasonable search and seizure.
But after 9-11, the intel community realized that intel collected by the civil side (CIA and NSA, etc) and by the military community had some overlap in both information and resources. Also, because of the law, any military intel collected couldn't legally be used by the CIA.
BTW, the FBI is charged will domestic "intelligence" commonly refered to as "law enforcement / crime prevention."
Now, I think Gen Hayden will be in a good position to merry military and civilian intelligence functions, hopefully prevent some overlap, and maximize the US intel community to keep us ALL (yes, even the Canadians) safe.
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GaRebelRunner
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Joined: 26 Sep 2003
Posts: 1097
Location: Tucker, GA
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Posted: 06/01/06 - 17:39 Post subject:
I've just about given up as far as being concerned about the military takeover of the U.S. government. It seems to be more and more Americans are willing to sacrifice their freedoms on some irrational fears.
Seems like the USSR went down this path at one point in their history. Let me see, where are they on the globe now? Hmm.
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Capt Kirk
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Posted: 06/02/06 - 16:07 Post subject:
| GaRebelRunner wrote: | I've just about given up as far as being concerned about the military takeover of the U.S. government. It seems to be more and more Americans are willing to sacrifice their freedoms on some irrational fears.
Seems like the USSR went down this path at one point in their history. Let me see, where are they on the globe now? Hmm. |
Don't worry, no one in the military wants a military takeover of the U.S. government. We all want to retire and be high-paid civilians, both in private industry and in government jobs! (Can't get a high-paid civilian jobs if its a military position!!!)
We in the military are firm believers in the Constitution and in civilian control. If we ever lose that, that means we have failed in our job to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." The government/military even had a recent training session on the Consitution.
(Do kids in school even get told what the Constitution is anymore...?)
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airehead
Oompa Loofah
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Joined: 12 Nov 2002
Posts: 18788
Location: Between here and eternity...
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Posted: 06/02/06 - 17:43 Post subject:
| GaRebelRunner wrote: | I've just about given up as far as being concerned about the military takeover of the U.S. government. It seems to be more and more Americans are willing to sacrifice their freedoms on some irrational fears.
Seems like the USSR went down this path at one point in their history. Let me see, where are they on the globe now? Hmm. |
Sadly, this is troof.
This drives Mr Aire nutso.
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16451
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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Posted: 06/02/06 - 21:09 Post subject:
| Capt Kirk wrote: | | (Do kids in school even get told what the Constitution is anymore...?) |
If there was more than 2 hours of total class time per student when added together actual teaching time in K-12, I'd be surprised. 
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camelia bedelia
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 2808
Location: God's Country
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Posted: 06/03/06 - 18:00 Post subject:
| Capt Kirk wrote: | | (Do kids in school even get told what the Constitution is anymore...?) |
Our school district requires 2 semesters of American Government (U.S. Government: Foundations and Principles and U.S. Government: Institutions and Policy), plus 3 semesters of American Studies. They get taught about it, but it can easily be forgotten.
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Gogirlgo
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Joined: 25 Jul 2002
Posts: 4777
Location: No deal, stalker.
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Posted: 06/04/06 - 12:17 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | Capt Kirk wrote: | | (Do kids in school even get told what the Constitution is anymore...?) |
If there was more than 2 hours of total class time per student when added together actual teaching time in K-12, I'd be surprised. |
Does it burn you to pay for public school that your kids don't attend?
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Gogirlgo
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Joined: 25 Jul 2002
Posts: 4777
Location: No deal, stalker.
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Posted: 06/04/06 - 12:17 Post subject:
My kids know a lot about the Constitution and the amendments, but I think it's b/c I taught them, not from school.
Of course, I teach them with the Go-slant, ie, you used to have this thing called a 4th Am right, but that's now much more limited than it was. Not just due to this Admin, but case law throughout the 20th century, esp. with regard to cars, has shown a trend in limiting the expectation of privacy one should have.
That's how my kids hear it.
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andydp
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Joined: 23 Sep 2003
Posts: 8122
Location: Upstate NY near Albany
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Posted: 06/04/06 - 15:20 Post subject:
As much as I believe in meeting enemies with the strongest possible response, putting the Constitution into a shredder is not the way to do it.
All of the programs the administration is running without going through the established legal steps can be run quite legally with current laws. I may add, if the Administration feels the laws are "inadequate" then they can go to Congress and get it changed. That is what the Constitution was designed for.
As for a "military coup" - NEVER !!! NEVER !!! We take oaths to "Protect and Defend the Constitution". People who have never done public service do not seem to grasp this concept so they are quite quick to bring up the "coup" idea. Personally, they should be looking at what the administration's policies and actions are doing right now, rather than what might happen.
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