HAYDEN TEACHER, CONGRESS STUDENT - THE EDUCATIONS BEGINS

Stating that intelligence had become, "the football in American political discourse," General Michael Hayden began his confirmation hearings as the Presidential nominee to head the CIA. Although several times during the hearings questions were asked to attempt to trip up Hayden or force him to reveal sensitive material Hayden stood his ground and began the intelligence education of members of Congress who have used intelligence gathering as a political tool to attack the Bush administration. At one point during today's session General Hayden was asked by Senator Carl Levin, (D MI), if he had revealed to the committee all of the information concerning the NSA foreign intelligence program and the General replied that he could not talk about it in open session. A closed session was planned for late this afternoon which is supposedly top secret. Unfortunately that seems to be a definition that is taken lightly in some corners of the Congress. It would not surprise me to find at one point during the confirmation hearings that information revealed in closed session is leaked in a very hap-hazard manner twisted and used to attempt to sway public opinion concerning Hayden's confirmation to the CIA. This type of leak has happened in the past and with the assistance of the media wing of the Democratic Party intelligence programs and information has been twisted to create a picture of , "domestic surveillance," which has not happened in the NSA program and phone records used to tap into the calls that Aunt Mildred made to Uncle Harry about Sunday dinner which too has not happened! Stating that the NSA program is both legal and necessary the General explained the precautions taken to prevent surveillance of average Americans. He said the surveillance program used a "probable cause" standard that made it unlikely that information about average Americans would be scrutinized. The false premise that is being spewed in the media and through the liberals elected in the House and Senate has warped the entire truth concerning the intelligence gathering that is performed by the NSA and the CIA. General Hayden admitted that there have been mistakes which has been the actuality of intelligence gathering as long as we have been a nation. For every miscue there have been hundreds of successes and the General stated as such when he told the committee that there have been hundreds of terrorist attacks prevented BECAUSE of the intelligence that has been gathered through the surveillance program. The legality of the program and the questioning of said legality has been used for political advantage which has damaged the effectiveness of a very vital program. General Hayden stands firm on the legality of the program and stated that when he briefed the members of the intelligence committee of the NSA program that he never once left the briefings thinking that the legality was questioned or that he should rein in any aspect of the program. General Hayden's nomination should be confirmed and his appointment as Director of the CIA approved. His expertise and professionalism in the intelligence field are without question. His military discipline will correct problems within the Agency which in turn will enable better intelligence gathering and greater security for our nation!

Ken Taylor