[IP] National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell on the wiretap program

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: h_bray@globe.com
Date: August 23, 2007 9:59:16 AM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell on the wiretap  
program

A remarkably candid interview in, of all places, the El Paso Times.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_6685679

Lots of fascinating detail here, as McConnell explains the need for
warrantless wiretaps.  He says it takes 200 man-hours to generate the
documentation for one warrant, making it impossible for his agency to  
keep
up with the thousands of overseas targets it listens in on.  And he  
bluntly
declares that Americans are going to die because of the public debate  
over
wiretapping, because the bad guys will study the disputes to figure out
what we're listening for, then change their tactics accordingly.

Lively stuff.



Hiawatha Bray



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