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August 14, 2006

MORE AIS: the state of our surveillance state

This week's installment was extremely difficult to put together. First of all talking about the Bush Administration's policies on domestic spying with an ACLU lawyer is well, super depressing. Secondly, Ben Wizner - staff attorney for the ACLU, has been on the front lines ever since the Bush Administration assumed all those special powers in the wake of 911 and before I spoke with him I read his super super depressing account of his involvement with the Guantanamo cases. Lastly, the administration is now crowing that surveillance has saved thousands from dying at the hands of lipstick-ipod wielding terrorists - even though there are some reports suggesting that many of these deadly terrorists had yet to move beyond the talking phase - and that it was US pressure that forced the British to act - i.e. no bombs, and for many of the suspects - not even passports! (link)

Give a LISTEN to Ben Wizner to learn about how the current debate over surveillance should be framed, its what you won't hear as Michael Chertoff brags his way around the Networks over the next few weeks.

Posted by bw at August 14, 2006 03:13 PM