Gwb Plays Well With Children ?

 

White House to share surveillance with Congress

By Richard A. Serrano, Times Staff Writer
5:31 PM PST, January 31, 2007

Learning to share

 click to enlarge

WASHINGTON -- A two-week standoff over documents in the White House domestic spying program ended today when Attorney General Alberto Gonzales agreed to turn over to Congress classified material about secret eavesdropping.
The Bush administration last month said it would put its surveillance of potential terrorist activities under supervision of a federal court but did not disclose details of its new eavesdropping program. A key Senate panel, newly controlled by Democrats, demanded access to the records to gauge whether the administration was going too far or breaking any laws in tracking terror suspects.
The decision to share information with Congress was the latest concession by the Bush administration, which has argued that it had the right to conduct its "war on terror" as it deems necessary and that secrecy is vital to national security.
The documents, which include applications for electronic wiretaps and orders from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court, will be made available to congressional committees only and not released to the public.
"We obviously would be concerned about the public disclosure that may jeopardize the national security of our country," Gonzales said. "But we're working with the Congress to provide the information that it needs."
Some documents were made available to Congress today, according to a Capitol Hill source.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said his panel would review the records before "deciding what further oversight or legislative action is necessary." Only then, he said, "can the Judiciary Committee determine whether the administration has reached the proper balance to protect Americans."
Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, a moderate who is the ranking Republican on the panel, had joined the Democrats in demanding the records be turned over. At a feisty hearing last month, he criticized Gonzales for his refusal to release the documents even though the FISA court's presiding judge had no objections.
Today, Specter thanked the administration for releasing the records to the committee but said he might make them public, as long as the materials do not violate privacy rules or jeopardize ongoing federal investigations.
"They will not be made public until I've had a chance to see them," he said. But, Specter said, "my own view is that there ought to be the maximum disclosure to the public consistent with national security procedures."
Central to the dispute has been the White House argument that extraordinary steps must be taken to protect Americans from further terrorist plots since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and conflicting concerns among Democrats and civil libertarians that the spying appears violate individual freedoms.
Under the so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program, the National Security Agency eavesdropped on telephone and e-mail conversations coming into and out of the United States without going through the usual process of first getting a warrant from the FISA court. The program was launched weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks and remained secret until it was exposed in the New York Times in late 2005.
With the Democrats installed as the majority party controlling Capitol Hill, the spying program is likely to become the target of several Congressional investigations into White House operations.
Gonzales said the Justice Department would cooperate with both chambers of Congress. "It's important for us that they understand what we're doing," the attorney general said. "All they have to do is ask."

---

As I See It ........... The State Of The Union

by neo

The State Of The Union

Jan.28, 07 When Does It End ?

When does The Government of These United States of America cease to be a Constitutional Government “Of the People”, “By the People”, and “For the People”? Did the Government ask The American People if War with Iraq was an appropriate action? No is the answer and if you knew that give yourself an atta boy!

When does it end? How does it end! I Know Where; Reminds me of The Classic Novel entitled “1984”, Written by George Orwell , One of our most notable Intellectual, Academic and Author of his time who still lives on with his spirit of Intellectual Freedom, Free Thinking , and the ability to forecast into the future. I believe the whole “Baby-Boomer Generation” had read this book. The Prophetic novel that helped as one ingredient needed to spawn a movement during [The Vietnam War and Police State that became the guardians of 100s’of Peaceful demonstrations in major Cities and College Campuses all over these United States of America]; our America. That’s A Terrifying Prospect for any American Born or State” Naturalized Citizen. Do you think William Penn said, “Those who are not governed by GOD will be ruled by Tyrants”, without considerable deliberation? In addition, why would Our Four Fathers Believe adamantly regarding “The Protection of Individuals Inalienable Rights and Liberties.

Why did our Four Fathers commit to all debates, discussions and arguments that they knew absolutely were imperative “In order to form a more perfect union “

Our Patriots will not be spied on.” Let us not mince words. What this Government is doing Breeds Mistrust in its Leadership. This then becomes a Passionate collective feeling of most Americans. Spying by definition is “The surveillance of people and/or person/s in such a manner as not to be detected. Several Intelligence Agencies of the Federal Government have been Spying on American individuals without showing “Probable Cause” and are actively doing their patriotic duty. That’s not saying there are not Americans who may be tied to another person/s who have ties to “A Terrorist Threat”! This type of intelligence gathering has wide parameters enabling “Good Old Fashion Spying “on random or targeted innocent Americans. That one act breaks a number of federal laws that protects Americans’ rights as stated so clearly and detailed in “ The Constitution “ This is just another example of the Erosion of Civil Liberties.

Only Our Lord and Father in Heaven Are Almighty in this area. I do not think, “The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken or Known “would like anyone interfering in this Domain. However, that is my belief; in other words you can be an Atheist or Agnostic and still be made to feel the betrayal that most “True Patriots or American Citizens Feel”!

Quote,

“People Should Never Fear Their Government; it is Government

That Should Fear the People “

Unknown Patriot

Copyright 2007 by Neo

Tens of Thousands March In Washington War Protest

Convinced this is their moment, tens of thousands marched Saturday in an anti-war demonstration linking military families, ordinary people and an icon of the Vietnam protest movement in a spirited call to get out of Iraq. Details

Climate Theory Valid

Published on Friday, January 19, 2007 by the Toronto Star

Landmark UN Study Backs Climate Theory
2,000 scientists all but end the debate: Human activity causes global warming

by Peter Gorrie

A major new United Nations report shows global scientists are more convinced than ever that human activity is causing climate change, the Toronto Star has learned.

The rate of warming between now and 2030 is likely to be twice that of the previous century, it says.

 

 A new report concludes that most of the global warning since the middle of the last century has been caused by man-made greenhouse gases. (AP Photo

And it concludes that most of the global warming since the middle of the last century has been caused by man-made greenhouse gases.

The report, to be released in Paris Feb. 2, should all but end any debate on climate change and compel governments and industries to take urgent measures to deal with it, scientists say.

"It is very likely that (man-made) greenhouse gas increases caused most of the globally average temperature increases since the mid-20th century," states the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In the clinical language of science, it paints a stark picture of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions:

"Discernible human influences now extend to other aspects of climate, including continental average temperatures, atmospheric circulation patterns and some types of extremes."

It is "very likely that hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent." Storm tracks will move from the tropics toward the poles.

The widely anticipated report is the fourth by the IPCC, which every few years publishes the definitive conclusions of about 2,000 scientists who are recognized as experts in their respective fields. Each one has moved closer to closing debate on the causes and effects of climate change.

The portion of the report obtained by the Star is called the final draft of the "Summary for Policy Makers."

The summary states that the warming effect of greenhouse gases increased by 20 per cent during the past decade – "the largest change observed or inferred for any decade in at least the last 200 years."

Global warming would be even greater had it not been slowed by other forms of pollution that stopped some of the sun's energy from reaching the Earth.

Rebutting one of the main arguments of climate change skeptics, it says observations of temperature increases and shrinking ice cover, "support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years" was caused by solar flares or other natural events.

Eleven of the past 12 years have been the hottest in Earth's recent history, it says.

All the continents except Antarctica have warmed during the past half-century, with the biggest impacts in Canada's Arctic and other northern regions.

Research since the third report was released in 2001 increases the certainty about climate change and the likely scale of most of its effects, including warmer temperatures and severe weather, the report states.

One crucial prediction has been made a bit less worrying: Although sea level is rising – for now, mainly because the oceans are warming to a depth of at least 3,000 metres, and expanding – the estimates for how much it will go up have been lowered.

The summary also notes that there has been, as yet, little change in the North Atlantic Drift, the warm current that gives Britain and northern Europe a relatively temperate climate and that is expected to slow, or stop, as climate change alters the ocean.

It will slow, but not abruptly during the coming century, the report says.

For the most part, though, the conclusions point in a single direction:

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal."

The report estimates that if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could be kept below 550 parts per million – which would take a major worldwide effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions – the average global temperature would rise by 2 to 4.5 degrees Celsius above the level before the Industrial Revolution started about 250 years ago.

The current carbon level is about 380 parts per million and rising steadily, compared with 280 at the time humans began burning large amounts of coal, oil and other fossil fuels.

The temperature estimate depends on which combination of computer model and research data is used.

The upper forecast is higher than in previous reports.

"Values higher than 4.5 C cannot be excluded" because of "feedbacks," such as the increased ability of the atmosphere to absorb water vapor – an extremely potent greenhouse gas – as it heats up, and the greater warmth absorbed as Arctic ice melts.

Regional forecasts of climate change effects are better than in the previous report, and they predict the greatest warming at northern latitudes and high altitudes, and the least over the North Atlantic and the southern oceans.

The north faces the biggest increase in precipitation.

© Copyright Toronto Star

The Bush Upgrade ?

Gates: Iraq Resolution 'Emboldens' Enemy

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

3 hours ago

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday an effort in Congress to pass a resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup undercuts U.S. commanders in Iraq and "emboldens the enemy."

At the same time, he said the Pentagon is hoping to speed up the deployment of five additional Army brigades to Baghdad to bolster security in the capital. They had been scheduled to arrive a brigade per month through May, each containing roughly 3,500 troops

GWB Wants To Open Our Mail !

Published on Thursday, January 4, 2007 by the New York Daily News

GWB Pushes Envelope on US Spying
New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail

by James Gordon Meek

WASHINGTON - President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant, the Daily News has learned.

The [Bush] signing statement claims authority to open domestic mail without a warrant, and that would be new and quite alarming.

Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies in Washington

The President asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open people's mail under emergency conditions. That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it.

Bush's move came during the winter congressional recess and a year after his secret domestic electronic eavesdropping program was first revealed. It caught Capitol Hill by surprise.

"Despite the President's statement that he may be able to circumvent a basic privacy protection, the new postal law continues to prohibit the government from snooping into people's mail without a warrant," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the incoming House Government Reform Committee chairman, who co-sponsored the bill.

Experts said the new powers could be easily abused and used to vacuum up large amounts of mail. "The [Bush] signing statement claims authority to open domestic mail without a warrant, and that would be new and quite alarming," said Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies in Washington.

"The danger is they're reading Americans' mail," she said. "You have to be concerned," agreed a career senior U.S. official who reviewed the legal underpinnings of Bush's claim. "It takes Executive Branch authority beyond anything we've ever known." A top Senate Intelligence Committee aide promised, "It's something we're going to look into."

Most of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act deals with mundane reform measures. But it also explicitly reinforced protections of first-class mail from searches without a court's approval.

Yet in his statement Bush said he will "construe" an exception, "which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail otherwise sealed against inspection in a manner consistent ... with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances."

Bush cited as examples the need to "protect human life and safety against hazardous materials and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection."

White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore denied Bush was claiming any new authority. "In certain circumstances - such as with the proverbial 'ticking bomb' - the Constitution does not require warrants for reasonable searches," she said. Bush, however, cited "exigent circumstances" which could refer to an imminent danger or a longstanding state of emergency.

Critics point out the administration could quickly get a warrant from a criminal court or a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge to search targeted mail, and the Postal Service could block delivery in the meantime. But the Bush White House appears to be taking no chances on a judge saying no while a terror attack is looming, national security experts agreed.

Martin said that Bush is "using the same legal reasoning to justify warrantless opening of domestic mail" as he did with warrantless eavesdropping.

© 2007 Daily News, L.P.

International Polar Year

Published on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 by Agence France Presse

International Polar Year Aims to Shed Light on Ends of Earth

by Guillaume Lavallee

Researchers from some 60 countries will try to better understand the Earth's poles in 2007 and the effect of climate change as part of the first "International Polar Year" since the 1950s.

The scientific effort, unlike previous undertakings, will be marked by the specter of global warming and transformed by collaboration with Inuits living in the Arctic.

  
Undated NASA composite image shows a fully dark (city lights) full disk image centered on the North Pole. Researchers from some 60 countries will try to better understand the Earth's poles in 2007 and the effect of climate change as part of the first "International Polar Year" since the 1950s.(AFP/NASA-HO/File)

Experts studying the Arctic and Antarctic are expected to receive a funding boost from the International Polar Year (IPY), an elaborate program that will inject close to 500 million dollars into polar research.

This is the fourth IPY to be organized -- the three others took place in 1882-83, 1932-33 and 1957-58 -- but it is the first time that it will be carried out against the backdrop of climate change.

"Close to 60 percent of what is known about the polar regions, particularly the Arctic, comes from research carried out in 1958," said Louis Fortier, scientific director of ArcticNet, a Canadian research network on the Arctic. The difference today is that the new polar year will occur in the context of global warming," Fortier told AFP.

Continued>

International Polar Year Aims to Shed Light on Ends of Earth
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0102-51.htm

"