Reply #22: People need to learn the difference between "blanket" and targeted...

[truthout]

As the devil is in the details. There wasn't a "blanket monitoring of all telephone calls" of US citizens. The NY Times article mentions that there was a list of about 500 people constructed by captured information from the terrorists we had in custody overseas. The communication targeted by these people were communication either to or from the US to another country or terrorist organization which is completely legal with no warrant needed. A warrant IS needed when the communication is from one US location to another US location and are citizens of the US.

The ability of the Federal government to monitor all forms of communication that a person may use is actually new. The Patriot Act updated the wire tapping laws that hadn't been changed for decades to now allow the government to target the person instead of the device the person used. It's just a shame that this updated law is soon to expire since it is a part of the Patriot Act.

I do hope though that one of the 500 people monitored was the person that is disclosing the classified information that is being leaked to the NY Times. US Attorney General Gonzales said "we'll just have to wait and see" whether there is an investigation into who leaked information about the program. I'm sure we'll see subpoena's of the NY Times in finding out who the leaker is.