www.pnionline.com/dnblog/attytood/archives/002621.html
Irena Briganti, referring to CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour, Sept. In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with US law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. Before we intercept these communications, the government must have information that establishes a clear link to these terrorist networks.
If you're a blog junkie, you may have seen the speculation -- and it is just speculation -- bounding around "the Internets" that CNN's Christiane Amanpour, a Middle East specialist of Iranian descent, was a subject of Bush's stepped-up post-9/11 spying campaign.
this question that she posed on the air to the New York Times' James Risen -- the reporter who broke the domestic spying story -- earlier today, She asked: Mitchell: You don't have any information, for instance, that a very prominent journalist, Christiane Amanpour, might have been eavesdropped upon?
our earlier post on her role in the Valerie Plame case) -- hears things, or she wouldn't have asked the question. If this had been a trial, Mitchell might have added, "I withdraw the question, Your Honor," and a judge would have told the court reporter to strike it from the record. Instead, it was live TV, and there was no way to get that genie back in the bottle.
something of an explanation from NBC:) So, now that the subject is out on the table, we decided to look at why the American government would want to spy on the CNN reporter.
But while her father was an Iranian airline executive, Amanpour was born in London and mostly raised there, attending Catholic schools, and her family fled Iran in 1979 "during the Islamic Revolution." The least cynical answer would be because her recent reporting would have brought her into direct contact with members of al Qaeda. In August 2002, not long after Bush began to authorize the warrantless spying program, Amanpour worked with CNN's Nic Robertson on a special that was billed as an inside view of al-Qaeda. Actually, it was Robertson who did the heavy lifting on this one, smuggling 64 purported al-Qaeda videotapes -- showing terrorist training exercises and the like -- out of Afghanistan. There are some taped demonstrations of bomb making, for which written instructions had been found by CNN's Christiane Amanpour after President Bush's war on terrorism opened Afghanistan to the international press. There are lessons in firing small arms, rappelling down what looks like a cliff and assassinating someone. Do you feel comfortable with the government spying on reporters for American-based news organizations, even if they are working abroad and are part of a chain that leads back to al-Qaeda? We don't, although we know there are many who would disagree with us.
Do husbands and wives use the same telephones and computers? But frankly, the concept that scares us the most, as a journalist, goes back to that lovely quote from the Fox News spokeswoman at the very top of this post -- and the episode that inspired it. Because Christiane Amanpour was highest profile, and also the most forceful, critic of the media's pliancy toward Bush after the 9/11 attacks.
I'm sorry to say, but certainly television and, perhaps, to a certain extent, my station was intimidated by the administration and its foot soldiers at Fox News. And it did, in fact, put a climate of fear and self-censorship, in my view, in terms of the kind of broadcast work we did." The next day, Fox blasts her as an "al-Qaeda spokeswoman." And two years later, we are left to wonder if she was spied upon by the American government. Posted on January 4, 2006 08:34 PM Comments More self-centered self-aggrandizing I am all-important liberalism. I am so important and so in the mix that the Whitehouse is stop everything to spy on me.
luckyme at January 4, 2006 10:24 PM "Do you feel comfortable with the government spying on reporters for American-based news organizations, even if they are working abroad and are part of a chain that leads back to al-Qaeda?"
SBVFT contributor - best $25 I ever spent at January 4, 2006 10:27 PM I was annoyed listening to Air America last night when Jeanine and Sam bragged that they were sure that the NSA had been listening in on their private phone calls. I wonder if FISA would have given them a warrant to do so. Certainly not of the amount of evidence you have cited that might result in surveillance of Christiane. And that is the real problem--breaking the law by not getting warrants.
Bryan at January 4, 2006 10:36 PM Good point there luckyme. Liberals are constantly deluding themselves into thinking that they are somehow so important. You know - like GW lies awake at night and actually gives 2 f-cks about these NPR-listening tools. In the proud service of Al-Qeada by exposing this program.
SBVFT contributor - best $25 I ever spent at January 4, 2006 10:56 PM I got a better one SBVT. I love it when they interview a liberal actor and they are on a movie with an equally obnoxious liberal, and they refer to that person as BRILLIANT. To me brilliance is splitting an atom or creating a medicine that heals you or putting a rover on mars no a crumby little role in a crappy little movie. So when you have the misfortune of hearing a "STAR" speak see how long it takes them to use the word brilliant.
luckyme at January 4, 2006 11:29 PM Luckyme, sbvfshit -- I cant wait until the next junta takes over and determines your not jackboot enough, lines you up against a wall and executes you.
Do you think with the powers he's laid claim to Bush isn't eavesdropping on every single person, organization or business that can potentially cause him trouble? Senators, Representatives, legislative aides, lobbyists, everyone.
steve duncan at January 4, 2006 11:30 PM You guys better hope that this never goes back to a democratically controlled administration. The same tools that Bush is using now can be used against you in the future. You know that if Clinton had done the exact same thing for the exact same reason, you would be screaming for his head on a pike. You guys were apoplectic when he fired the White House travel staff for crying out loud. What a bunch of fascist idiots the whole lot of you are.
demos at January 4, 2006 11:32 PM Luckyme, sbvfshit -- I cant wait until the next junta takes over and determines your not jackboot enough, lines you up against a wall and executes you.
luckyme at January 4, 2006 11:34 PM You guys better hope that this never goes back to a democratically controlled administration. The same tools that Bush is using now can be used against you in the future. You know that if Clinton had done the exact same thing for the exact same reason, you would be screaming for his head on a pike. You guys were apoplectic when he fired the White House travel staff for crying out loud. What a bunch of fascist idiots the whole lot of you are.
steelhead77 at January 4, 2006 11:34 PM Fascist bastards luckyme and SBVT. There was nothing preventing US from eavesdropping - they could get a warrant 72 hours after the fact. It could be because it was inconvinient and a hassle - or it could be that they knew that the request would be denied due to the fact they were listening in on say John Kerry's campaign manager. What can you ignorant idiots point at that gives the current Fascist any credibility at all. What in God's green earth has this adminstration done that would earn any trust except from sychophants like you two morons. Imagine say - Hilary with the same ability to just blow off laws - would you trust a Democratic president. ps hundreds of people on "no fly list" and they will not be told why - could it be they said something disparaging of the white house chimp?
Thanks at January 4, 2006 11:41 PM Poor juju the strain was too much for him to bear. Come on juju tell me how you really feel don't hold it in you might get an aneurism.
luckyme at January 4, 2006 11:43 PM Wow, Get your heads out of the sand Righties. What do you think about the gay male escort that visited the White House over 100 times?
Here in D...
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