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Bush Defends Government Phone Tapping Program
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1069E49:3919ACA US president says
monitoring is essential tool in war on terrorism, despite criticism
that program conflicts with constitutional protection against
unreasonable searches, seizures President Bush goes into 2006 with a
controversy brewing over his decision to launch a program that enables
the government's National Security Agency to monitor the phone calls
and e-mails of people in the United States. Mr. Bush says the program
is an essential tool in the war on terrorism.







George W. BushThe program applies only to calls or e-mails where
someone in the United States is in contact with a person abroad who is
believed to have links to al-Qaida. Under presidential order, the
requirement for a court warrant in order to conduct a wiretap, in
essence, is waived.

The New York Times newspaper broke the story of the secret monitoring
operation in mid-December. Since then, the president has gone to great
lengths to vigorously defend the program, saying those who revealed
its existence have damaged the national security of the United States.

He spoke of it again when he met with reporters New Year's Day after a
visit with wounded soldiers in his home state of Texas. "We're at war,
and as the commander-in-chief I have to use the resources at my
disposal within the law to protect the American people," said
President Bush, "and that is what we are doing."

But some critics suggest the administration may have stretched the
law. They cite the constitutional protection against unreasonable
searches and seizures, and note that even in cases where time is of
the essence, a retroactive warrant is an option.

During a brief question and answer session at a military hospital in
San Antonio, President Bush was asked about new reports that a senior
official at the Justice Department raised serious concerns about the
program long before its existence became public. Mr. Bush responded by
saying it is an important program that is constantly under review and
limited in scope. "The [National Security Agency] program is one that
listens to a few numbers called from the outside of the United States
in, from known al-Qaida or affiliate people," he said. "In other
words, the enemy is calling somebody, and we need to know who they are
calling and why."

Hearings are planned in the U.S. Senate. The top Democrat on the
Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles Schumer of New York, says he wants
top administration officials to testify and hopes the White House will
cooperate with the investigation.

"I hope the White House won't hide behind saying, 'oh, executive
privilege, we can't discuss this'," said Mr. Schumer speaking on the
Fox News Sunday television program. "That is the wrong attitude. A
discussion, perhaps a change in the law, those are all legitimate.
Unilaterally changing the law because the vice-president or president
thinks it is wrong without discussion or change - that is not the
American way."

Mr. Schumer noted that the balance between security and liberty is a
delicate one, but he added if the president thought there was a
problem with existing law governing wiretaps, he should have worked
with Congress to come up with a solution.