A Follow Up

There's more to this story about that new governmental report about Bush's surveillance activities. I started here and, as promised, here's more.

The New York Times reports:

While the Bush administration had defended its program of wiretapping without warrants as a vital tool that saved lives, a new government review released Friday said the program’s effectiveness in fighting terrorism was unclear.

And:

Most intelligence officials interviewed “had difficulty citing specific instances” when the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program contributed to successes against terrorists, the report said.

But weren't we told that it was necessary because it saved lives?? Yes we were:

The findings raise questions about assertions from Mr. Bush and his most senior advisers that the warrantless wiretapping program was essential in stopping terrorist attacks. In January 2006, for example, Mr. Bush said the surveillance program “helped prevent attacks and save American lives.” Former Vice President Dick Cheney has made the same point, most recently in his public defense of the administration’s campaign against terrorism.

So now we know that was a load of crap a lie, too.

More lies from the Bush administration. Wasn't it a great 8 years? I mean it's all justified by the "fact" that they "kept us safe" for 7 and a half of them.