Pentagon to be allowed to spy on Americans?

Oct. 5, 2005 - The Pentagon would be granted new powers to conduct undercover intelligence gathering inside the United States—and then withhold any information about it from the public—under a series of little noticed provisions now winding their way through Congress.

Citing in part the need for “greater latitude” in the war on terror, the Senate Intelligence Committee recently approved broad-ranging legislation that gives the Defense Department a long sought and potentially crucial waiver: it would permit its intelligence agents, such as those working for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), to covertly approach and cultivate “U.S. persons” and even recruit them as informants—without disclosing they are doing so on behalf of the U.S. government. The Senate committee’s action comes as President George W. Bush has talked of expanding military involvement in civil affairs, such as efforts to control pandemic disease outbreaks.

The provision was included in last year’s version of the same bill, but was knocked out after its details were reported by NEWSWEEK and critics charged it could lead to “spying” on U.S. citizens. But late last month, with no public hearings or debate, a similar amendment was put back into the same authorization bill—an annual measure governing U.S. intelligence agencies—at the request of the Pentagon. A copy of the 104-page committee bill, which has yet to be voted on by the full Senate, did not become public until last week.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9602401/site/newsweek/

They don't learn any new tricks, they just try them again and again, and they work for a while. Whaddya want to bet that these provisions that keep slipping into legislation are more of that "self-writing legislation" phenomenon that just seems to keep cropping up? The tone of the reporting makes me think that these provisions are like indoor cats that keep slipping out the door. Nobody knows how it happens, nobody ever leaves the door open, but dang it if that cat didn't get out again.

Ya know I was just saying to myself the other day that I have far to much privacy as it is. I'm glad to know that I can have even less privacy now and sleep even better knowing that someone, or several someones, or hell...even entire departments of Big Brother MOFO's will be watching me. FAN-tastic.

"They hate us for our freedoms.":eyes: B-)

knowledge, what will be next family members spying on family members,priests spying on parishioners, doctors spying on patients and so on. Expanding military involvement in civil affairs such as efforts to control pandemic disease outbreaks. What the hell is that about. I would think the medical profession would be controlling pandemic disease outbreaks. Will the military be rounding up people they think may be sick and sending them to concentration camps.