"We know that a two-minute phone conversation between somebody linked to al Qaeda here and an operative overseas could lead directly to the loss of thousands of lives," Bush said during a December 19 news conference.
"To save American lives, we must be able to act fast and to detect these conversations so we can prevent new attacks."
Firstly, even as a gross exaggeration, this is completely wrong. 9/11 wasn't perpetrated with a 2-minute call. About the only thing that could be perpetrated is a phone order for dynamite...but NSA spying won't prevent that.
The guise of security can gain a man many things. By talking about 9/11, you could justify any of the following:
* spying on phone calls of any citizen
* spying with video camera on any citizen
* obtaining private records of any citizen
It sounds great to say that secret spying is keeping us safe -- and spying DOES keep us safe -- but there must be some record of who is being targeted and why. It doesn't matter when that information is made available...days after, weeks after even. But, the operation must be made somewhat public (even if the public at large has no access), so this right isn't abused.
And that is what this argument is about.
No, Mr. President, wading through our private lives because a 2-minute phone you find might prevent lives being lost is no justification. Protecting freedom my eliminating it is not a victory.
By your own admission, Mr. President...The "terrorists" who "hate our freedom" have won.