Negative or Positive?

Hey folks,

I was not going to be here today, but as usual, I saw this, this morning. I had to comment on. Now today you will most likely hear that this is evil, bad, the BIG BAD Bush Administration is breaking laws, invading your privacy, blah, blah, blah.

According to Reuters-White House says spying broader than known: report

The Bush administration's top intelligence official has acknowledged that a controversial domestic surveillance program was only one part of a much broader spying effort, The Washington Post reported in its Wednesday edition.

Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell wrote in a letter that other aspects of the National Security Agency's domestic spying program remain classified, the Post said.

As well they SHOULD. Why tell the bad guys what, when, who, how, and give them a chance to beat the system?

"That is the only aspect of the NSA activities that can be discussed publicly because it is the only aspect of those various activities whose existence has been officially acknowledged," McConnell wrote, according to the Post.

Bush acknowledged the existence of a program that monitored domestic phone calls and e-mails without court oversight in December 2005. The administration has not confirmed other secret spying efforts reported by news outlets, such as one that searched millions of telephone records.

Bush signed an executive order that authorized "a number of ... intelligence activities" following the hijacking attacks of September 11, 2001, McConnell wrote.

I say GREAT. But you know the Libs are going to have a field day with this. Oh they will probably call for more investigations. Make more of a show, that’s all they do, about impeaching the President. Same old bunk.

I wonder if they would feel safe shopping in the mall in Ohio today? For those that will attempt to attack the President, you know, the GOOD guy, and give the BAD guys a pass, I have two words for ya. Nuradin Abdi.

According to CNN-Guilty plea in alleged mall plot

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A 35-year-old Somali citizen whom authorities accuse of plotting to blow up a shopping mall in Ohio has pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

Columbus resident Nuradin Abdi entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Tuesday, days before he was scheduled to go on trial, and agreed to serve a ten-year prison sentence.

"This plea is the product of a persistent global investigation by agents and officers who used every legal tool available to document the actions of one who conspired to aid terrorists," said U.S. Attorney Gregory Lockhart.

It all depends on who you talk to if these were “legal” or not.

Under the deal, three charges were dropped, and Abdi will be deported after serving his sentence, according to The Associated Press.

"In this climate an American jury, we felt, could potentially find him guilty because of all this negative stuff that's coming in," AP quoted his attorney, Mahir Sherif, as saying. "And if they found him guilty he was looking at spending the rest of his life in custody."

"The government came back with another offer, so he decided to take it."

Abdi is not accused of al Qaeda membership but authorities charged he suggested during a meeting with convicted al Qaeda associate Iyman Faris a plot to blow up a Columbus mall.

Faris is the Ohio man convicted for his role in a plan to potentially blow up the Brooklyn Bridge. Faris, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Abdi was arrested early on November 28, 2003, a busy shopping day after Thanksgiving when malls would be crowded. Authorities said they feared he might try to carry out his plan.

A third man, Christopher Paul, has also been arrested and indicted on charges of providing material support to terrorists.

Abdi entered the United States in 1995 on what immigration authorities say was a false passport and was later granted asylum based on false statements, authorities said.

There are many more examples of this, known and not known, of how these programs work. How we are safer because of them. Pointing out the obvious again, we have not been attacked SINCE 9-11. It has not been for the lack of trying. So tell me again, who is the bad guy here? Bush, the President of the United states, who is keeping us safe, or this guy, who was CAUGHT, planning to blow up a mall?

Peter