Wiretapping issue is about safety, not civil liberties

With reference to the editorial “Spying changes on hold” (BDN, Feb. 16-17), the writer and the House Democrats could not be more wrong.

On the Feb. 17 “Fox News Sunday,” Mike McConnell debunked the contents of the editorial and any logic for the lack of action by the House leadership. Having served in both the Clinton and Bush administrations, Mr. McConnell is an independent and professional director of national intelligence. With reference to the House Democrat leadership’s refusal to agree to the bipartisan Senate version of the wiretapping law, but rather to simply allow it to expire, he said: “Our situation now, when the terrorist threat is increasing because they’ve achieved – al-Qaida’s achieved de facto safe haven in the border area of Pakistan and Afghanistan – the threat is going up. And therefore, we do not have the agility and the speed that we had before to be able to move and try to capture their communications to thwart their planning.”

Referring to our telecommunications companies and the possibility of lawsuits, Mr. McConnell went on to say: “[Our country is in] increased danger, and it will increase more and more as time goes on. … If you think about the private sector global communications, many people think the government operates that. Ninety-eight percent of it is owned and operated by the private sector. We cannot do this mission without help and support from the private sector. And the private sector, although they willingly helped us in the past, are now saying, ‘You can’t protect me. Why should I help you?'”

Our country is at war with a stealthy, evil and very nondescript enemy. This enemy is one which does not wear a uniform and has clearly stated their desire to kill all of us and destroy our way of life. I believe it is not unreasonable to provide immunity to an important sector of our economy, one that was willing to provide, at the request of our elected government officials, a means to keep tabs on what our declared enemy was doing after Sept. 11. It truly has nothing to do with civil liberties, but everything to do with common sense and our country’s security.

All elected officials to national office take an oath when being sworn in. With their hand on a Bible, they swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States. In Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, titled “The Powers of Congress,” it states: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.”

We expect our congressional leadership in Washington to provide for our defense and general welfare, not expose our country to needless heightened risk while endeavoring to line the pockets of their favorite lobbyists, to whom they are deeply indebted from massive contributions.

As mentioned in the editorial, the Senate, with a 68-29 bipartisan vote, passed the law with the immunity provision included. Hooray for Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins for voting in the affirmative. Shame on the House Democratic leadership and Reps. Tom Allen and Michael Michaud for their irresponsible failure to act.

The Feb. 20 BDN front page had a wonderful article, “Court rejects ACLU domestic spying suit.” The Bush administration does not have to disclose the secrets of war so that they and the telecommunications companies, in a Catch-22, can be sued. More importantly, these secrets do not have to needlessly be disclosed to the terrorists so that they can change their methods, as has happened through The Washington Post and New York Times.

Proof that the administration is breaking the law is a bit more challenging for the Democrats, lobbyists and the terrorists. I guess there is some justice, after all. At least occasionally.

Rodney Webb lives in Newport.