Democracy for Vancouver

Bush this morning on FISA:

In August, Congress passed the Protect America Act, a bill to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978… Since this important measure took effect, our intelligence professionals have been able to gather critical information that would have been missed without this authority. And keeping this authority is essential to keeping America safe.

That would be great and all,* if they weren’t so busy blowing their own intelligence operations for political purposes:

A small private intelligence company that monitors Islamic terrorist groups obtained a new Osama bin Laden video ahead of its official release last month, and around 10 a.m. on Sept. 7, it notified the Bush administration of its secret acquisition. It gave two senior officials access on the condition that the officials not reveal they had it until the al-Qaeda release.

Within 20 minutes, a range of intelligence agencies had begun downloading it from the company’s Web site. By midafternoon that day, the video and a transcript of its audio track had been leaked from within the Bush administration to cable television news and broadcast worldwide.

The founder of the company, the SITE Intelligence Group, says this premature disclosure tipped al-Qaeda to a security breach and destroyed a years-long surveillance operation that the company has used to intercept and pass along secret messages, videos and advance warnings of suicide bombings from the terrorist group’s communications network.

“Techniques that took years to develop are now ineffective and worthless,” said Rita Katz, the firm’s 44-year-old founder…

Back to the preznit:

Unfortunately, when Congress passed the Protect America Act they set its provisions to expire in February. The problem is the threat to America is not going to expire in February. So Congress must make a choice: Will they keep the intelligence gap closed by making this law permanent? Or will they limit our ability to collect this intelligence and keep us safe, staying a step ahead of the terrorists who want to attack us?

Nice strawman you got there. How about we deal with all of the illegal and unconstitutional bullshit your administration has pulled up to this very minute, before we let your leash out any longer? Call it a trust-building exercise.

Sorry, but I gotta go back to Bush:

Today, the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees are considering a proposed bill that instead of making the Protect America Act permanent would take us backward.

For once, you’re right, Georgie. It takes us back to those heady days before January 20, 2001, when the Constitution had not yet been peed upon by you, Cheney, Gonzales, and John Yoo.

Bush again (I really do apologize):

Terrorists in faraway lands are plotting and planning new ways to kill Americans.

Just as BushCo, from half a world away, plots and plans ways to kill Iranians.

And now, for something completely different:

On another issue before Congress, I urge members to oppose the Armenian genocide resolution now being considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We all deeply regret the tragic suffering of the Armenian people that began in 1915. This resolution is not the right response to these historic mass killings, and its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror.

Because it’s uncomfortable to discuss past genocides when you’re helping commit one, and ignoring another, and when the Turks are just itching for a reason to relive those old Armesnian-stomping days in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Please call your congressperson and ask them to vote for the RESTORE Act, which would bring us back to the highly functional, pre-illegal wiretapping FISA. You can find your congressperson here; or just call the switchboard and they’ll connect you by zipcode: (202) 225-3121.

*I’m playing devil’s advocate here.