Get the DoD Out of Dodge

Since the National Security Agency (NSA) warrantless wiretappings have been struck down by a Federal court decision, there seems to have arisen a chant to the effect, "But this program foiled the English based terror plot recently unraveled by British authorities."

My recent posting discussed human intelligence (HUMINT) vs. signals intelligence (SIGINT) and, contrary to the big lie of the day, HUMINT was the source that ultimately foiled this plot. A Newsweek magazine report ("Five Years of Terror",8/21/06) states, "British intelligence had help--presumably one tip and maybe more--from Britain's large and disaffected Muslim community." SIGINT did not ferret out this plot. However, I'm sure that after the HUMINT was gathered and evaluated, the British authorities availed themselves of SIGINT aimed at a specific identified hostile target. That is the correct synergy of the two.

Nobody should question the President's authority to gather foreign intelligence. But that is not the NSA's project when it is eavesdropping on our own citizens. The NSA is an intelligence agency under the Department of Defense (DoD), and should not target U.S. citizens domestically.

If domestic surveillance needs to be done to protect America, then let law enforcement (=FBI) conduct this surveillance, and under appropriate court oversight. When surveillance is successful, it should lead to prosecution under Federal code. If operatives intend to do violence against America, then prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. Get the DoD out of the domestic intelligence gathering business. This is not a DoD function.