Lone Wolf portion of Patriot Act removed ahead of schedule

[sublime]

Considering the attack in Texas do you think it is wise for the democrats to take the teeth out of the patriot act? What are your opinions on the FBI's failure to take action against Major Nidal M. Hasan because they were afraid to upset Muslims? Do you ever ponder the idea that we are being destroyed from within by our own government?

Democrats have stricken the “Lone Wolf Provision” from the Patriot Act – ahead of its expiration date in December. The Democrats have now removed the ability for our FBI and Homeland Security to “individually” (by technical surveillance) investigate foreign nationals here in the United States.

Here is the exact writing of the provision:

Section 104 – Sunset of Lone Wolf: Background and Summary

Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 amended the definition of “agent of a foreign power” in FISA to include the so-called “lone wolf” provision. This definition allows the government to surveil a non-U.S. person who is engaging in international terrorism or activities in preparation of international terrorism even if that target is not a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power.

Thus, for example, FISA tools can now be used against a foreign national who is engaging in acts to prepare for a terrorist attack against the U.S. but who is not affiliated or cannot be shown to be affiliated with a terrorist organization.

The lone wolf provision is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2009. This section does NOT renew the lone wolf provision. Instead, it repeals the lone wolf definition in FISA and makes other technical and conforming changes. Despite this repeal, the bill maintains lone wolf reporting requirements in the AG’s first semi-annual report following enactment.

[stupidglide]

Stupid move, at best.
The very implications of this kind of thinking bother me, to say the least.
We all might as well put on pink t shirts, that say "screw me please", on the back, and start eating croissants, at this rate.

How in the world do these people think we have the freedoms we have, in the first place?
"Those that choose to deny the lessons of history, usually suffer the least, from the results of that choice, and cost their fellow countrymen the highest price". (me)


As you well know from my posts, Sublime, that I am in favor of a strong home, a strong defense, and an OBEDIANT government.
I seem to be running about a 33% success rate on that front right now.
Time to write and e mail my reps again.
Thank you for the post, I'm sure you will most likely take some flak for it, and your viewpoints, but you seem capable of defending yourself quite well. ;-)

[Pop's Cycle]

I think we should segregate everybody of Arab/Middle Eastern descent into concentration camps.

Really though, the Patriot Act reminds me of Communism and National Socialism.

What is it the MAJ Hasan did that you believe was actionable? (Besides killing 12 Soldiers - I got that part.) Not arguing the point (yet) - just haven't been following the story so I don't know.

[Waffen]

Originally Posted by Pop's Cycle

Really though, the Patriot Act reminds me of Communism and National Socialism.

The whole unpatriot act should be removed from the books.



W

[sublime]

Nearly a year before Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, terrorism investigators conducted an "assessment" of him before deciding he did not pose a threat.

After the shooting, the FBI is doing a new assessment -- of its own conduct.

The Army psychiatrist is believed to have acted alone despite repeated communications -- intercepted by authorities -- with a radical imam overseas, U.S. officials said Monday. The FBI will conduct an internal review to see whether it mishandled early information about the man accused in the bloody rampage that killed 13 people and wounded 29.

President Barack Obama was joining grieving families and comrades of the victims Tuesday at a memorial service at the sprawling Texas Army base. Hasan, awake and talking to doctors, met his lawyer Monday in the San Antonio hospital where he is recovering, under guard, from gunshot wounds in the assault.

In Washington, an investigative official and a Republican lawmaker said Hasan had communicated 10 to 20 times with Anwar al-Awlaki, an imam released from a Yemeni jail last year who has used his personal Web site to encourage Muslims across the world to kill U.S. troops in Iraq. Despite that, no formal investigation was opened into Hasan, they said.

Investigative officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Republican Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said it was his understanding Hasan and the imam exchanged e-mails that counterterrorism officials picked up.

Officials said Hasan will be tried in a military court, not a civilian one, a choice that suggests his alleged actions are not thought to have emanated from a terrorist organization.

FBI Director Robert Mueller ordered the inquiry into the bureau's handling of the case, including its response to potentially worrisome information gathered about Hasan beginning in December 2008 and continuing into early this year.

Based on all the investigations since the attack, the investigators said they have no evidence that Hasan had help or outside orders in the shootings.

Even so, they revealed the major had once been under scrutiny from a joint terrorism task force because of the series of communications going back months. Al-Awlaki is a former imam at a Falls Church, Va., mosque where Hasan and his family occasionally worshipped.

In 2001, al-Awlaki, a native-born U.S. citizen, had contact with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, and on Monday his Web site praised Hasan as a hero.

Military officials were made aware of communications between the Hasan and al-Awlaki, but because the messages did not advocate or threaten violence, civilian law enforcement authorities could not take the matter further, the officials said. The terrorism task force concluded Hasan was not involved in terrorist planning.

Officials said the content of those messages was "consistent with the subject matter of his research," part of which involved post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A law enforcement official said the communications consisted primarily of Hasan posing questions to the imam as a spiritual leader or adviser, and the imam did respond to at least some of those messages.

No formal investigation was ever opened based on the contacts, the officials said.

As for the patriot act...

There certainly are portions of this bill that make my skin curl... Primarily the ability for foreign governments to gather intelligence on American citizens. Personally I have nothing to hide, if you wanna read my emails, listen to my phone conversations or whatever I could care less. But I do understand the need for privacy and that this bill can enable the government to overstep it's bounds and encroach upon your privacy.

The parts of the patriot act I do agree with are monitoring of international communications with known terrorists / criminals. I have no issue with that. I am sure many will disagree, so be it, we need to have some method of monitoring communications with these organizations for our own safety. It may be turned against us and used as a means of oppression by a tyrannical government down the road, but I am sure we will come up with a way to bypass the governments ability to monitor our communications should the need arise.