Bush spying on his fellow Americans

WASHINGTON- Amid unrelenting political setbacks, US President George W Bush has gone on the offensive, slamming Congress for stalling an anti-terrorism law and defending his decision to spy on Americans.

The decision to block renewal of the USA Patriot Act is “irresponsible” and “endangers the lives of our citizens,” Bush declared in an unusual televised broadcast of his weekly radio address. In the same address Bush acknowledged and took full responsibility for wiretapping of Americans disclosed by the New York Times on Friday.Despite parliamentary elections in Iraq Thursday and their potential to improve sentiment about the Iraq war, the domestic political climate remains very difficult for the US president, and shows no signs of letting up.After accepting on Thursday Congress’ desire to explicitly reaffirm a ban on torture because a standoff risked blocking the defence budget, Bush suffered another setback on Friday.Yet again, it was methods used in the war on terror that planted trouble in Congress.Republican headquarters was unable to prevent the blocking of the Patriot Act in the Senate because of concern among majority Republicans that new powers granted law enforcement agencies in their counterterrorism investigations could lead to eavesdropping on citizens and their persecution.The simultaneous disclosure that Bush has authorised wiretaps on hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, could have a problematic, even devastating impact on the future of the Patriot Act, said Arlen Specter, the influential Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.But the president, acting in the name of national security, sought Saturday to sweep all the worries aside.”The terrorists want to attack America again and inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th,” Bush said.This threat, according to Bush, not only justifies new resources for law enforcement agencies but also a highly-classified wiretapping programme that he said he authorised “in the weeks following the (September 11, 2001) terrorist attacks” and planned to re-authorise again “as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from Al-Qaeda and related groups.”Democratic Senator Russ Feingold, who has been waging a battle against the Patriot Act, immediately accused the president of trying to play on fears to pursue strictly political objectives.”What he’s doing, I believe, is illegal,” Feingold said Saturday on CNN television.Even though the fate of the Patriot Act could be President Bush’s most nettlesome political problem, it is by no means the only one.Congress, which was supposed to finish its work and adjourn for Christmas holidays, had to continue working through the weekend in order to wrap up unfinished business.Many of the administration’s priorities are stalled or about to die.Because of fissures in Republican ranks, re-authorisation of tax cuts, adoption of new spending cuts, and the defence budget still have not been approved.Work on many of these bills is complicated by the desire of the Bush administration and many Republican lawmakers to open a pristine natural area, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to oil exploration.This proposal, which was to be included into the spending cuts programme, could now be attached to the defence budget, which could open a new political battle over the reserve.- Nampa-AFPIn the same address Bush acknowledged and took full responsibility for wiretapping of Americans disclosed by the New York Times on Friday.Despite parliamentary elections in Iraq Thursday and their potential to improve sentiment about the Iraq war, the domestic political climate remains very difficult for the US president, and shows no signs of letting up.After accepting on Thursday Congress’ desire to explicitly reaffirm a ban on torture because a standoff risked blocking the defence budget, Bush suffered another setback on Friday.Yet again, it was methods used in the war on terror that planted trouble in Congress.Republican headquarters was unable to prevent the blocking of the Patriot Act in the Senate because of concern among majority Republicans that new powers granted law enforcement agencies in their counterterrorism investigations could lead to eavesdropping on citizens and their persecution.The simultaneous disclosure that Bush has authorised wiretaps on hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, could have a problematic, even devastating impact on the future of the Patriot Act, said Arlen Specter, the influential Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.But the president, acting in the name of national security, sought Saturday to sweep all the worries aside.”The terrorists want to attack America again and inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th,” Bush said.This threat, according to Bush, not only justifies new resources for law enforcement agencies but also a highly-classified wiretapping programme that he said he authorised “in the weeks following the (September 11, 2001) terrorist attacks” and planned to re-authorise again “as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from Al-Qaeda and related groups.”Democratic Senator Russ Feingold, who has been waging a battle against the Patriot Act, immediately accused the president of trying to play on fears to pursue strictly political objectives.”What he’s doing, I believe, is illegal,” Feingold said Saturday on CNN television.Even though the fate of the Patriot Act could be President Bush’s most nettlesome political problem, it is by no means the only one.Congress, which was supposed to finish its work and adjourn for Christmas holidays, had to continue working through the weekend in order to wrap up unfinished business.Many of the administration’s priorities are stalled or about to die.Because of fissures in Republican ranks, re-authorisation of tax cuts, adoption of new spending cuts, and the defence budget still have not been approved.Work on many of these bills is complicated by the desire of the Bush administration and many Republican lawmakers to open a pristine natural area, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to oil exploration.This proposal, which was to be included into the spending cuts programme, could now be attached to the defence budget, which could open a new political battle over the reserve.- Nampa-AFP