Columbus, Ohio paper wrong on NSA program

What follows is a letter submitted to the Columbus Dispatch after the paper ran an editorial praising Judge Taylor's decision on the NSA eavesdropping program.

The Dispatch made several mischaracterizations of America’s eavesdropping program on terrorist calls coming into and leaving the country. The word “wiretap” conjures up visions of Joe Friday placing a bug on the phone wires leading into old lady Johnson’s house and then sitting in van outside listening to Johnson talk about cookie recipes and who wore what to church on Sunday. The Dispatch knows better. America’s eavesdropping program probably uses a sophisticated computer program to track satellite and other wireless international communications that is activated only when certain key words or phrases are used.

Next, the Dispatch saying, “…all the Bush administration had to do was seek a warrant from the expedient, confidential court that was set up specifically for that purpose” is sort of like saying “ten years in prison.” It’s easy to say but tough to do. Given the scope and nature of the program, all such warrants would have to be issued after the fact. Has anyone at the Dispatch investigated the process by which such warrants are obtained?

Last the Dispatch argues against itself by saying that president ought to limit the program now so that congress won’t write a law that severely restricts the NSA’s powers in the future. Isn’t that sort of like the fire chief refusing to dispatch the fire trucks to a fire because another fire might break out. We’re in danger now. I think the president recognizes the danger even if Judge Taylor and the Dispatch do not.

Note to editor:

The words “international” and “only” in the last sentence of the third graph should be in italics if you chose to use the letter.

First 3 graphs are 247 words which about fits your letter length but other mischaracterization of the program in the Dispatch’s piece follow.

Then the Dispatch claims, “The Bush administration couldn’t be bothered with such trivialities” referring to what the Dispatch claims are expedient and confidential warrants from the FISA court. First, the Dispatch is just wrong. The Bush administration regularly uses the FISA process for domestic cases. Second, if the process is as confidential as the Dispatch claims, how do they know that the administration is not making use of it for some international calls associated with the NSA program as well?

Then the Dispatch makes an error of omission when it labels the NSA program a “Power Grab” but fails to remind readers that congressional leaders of both parties were fully and frequently briefed.