NEW YORK TIMES - A PARTNER WITH AL JEZEERA ?

The left has been blasting the President since the New York Times leaked the information concerning NSA wire tapping known Al Qaeda connections and that the President knew and approved the surveillance. It seems that the Times in order to find anything that they feel will help the left to bring down the President believes even US security makes no difference. This surveillance used by the Bush administration to gather information from contacts within the US that were calling Afghanistan and known Al Qaeda members was very successful in thwarting further terrorist actions in the US and overseas. That is until the Times felt it their, "duty, " to break a story that they have had for over a year. Could it be a coincidence that it follows the very successful Iraqi elections and that the Times is publishing a book soon to be released on this same subject. The President stated in a news conference today that the story greatly harmed intelligence gathering and that ALL the wire taps were legal and the Congress WAS informed of the program at its conception. This despite claims to the contrary by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Both claimed that the President over stepped his authority by authorizing the taps, yet personal surveillance has been authorized in the past by Chief Executives both during war, (which we are in and gives the President emergency powers to protect the nation), and times when we were not at war. Clinton used satellite surveillance on known militia groups after the Oklahoma City bombing. Robert Kennedy at the request of JFK wire tapped Martin Luther King because of an alleged communist connection in order to keep J. Edgar Hoover quiet. FDR detained Japanese in WWII , and Lincoln ordered a sitting US congressman and candidate for Governor of Ohio arrested and deported to the South for encouraging soldiers to leave their posts as an anti - war protest. All of these Presidential orders were authorized without court intervention and all for the protection of the nation in a time of crises or war! Yet the left gives the assertion that Bush over stepped his Presidential authority and condoned illegal activities. Activities necessary IN A TIME OF WAR! The President can and must be able to move quickly during war to protect this nation as Commander in Chief within legal bounds as Bush has done, yet the left would tie his hands in another effort to destroy this Presidency and grab power in Washington. All at the expense of national security and the people. The New York Times is the prominent mouth piece in the media that is used by the left for this message of mass destruction. Al Jezeera and Al Qaeda are proud!

Ken Taylor