Spying on American Troops?

Wow. I just read an article on CNN that got my blood boiling. The report is that the NSA used the Bush Administration's broad license to wiretap international calls to spy on American military officer's calls home. Forgive me if I don't trust the denials from the NSA saying that if they were personal conversations they were immediately deleted, but what reason do we have to trust what they say anyways?

Agree with me or not on the Bush wiretapping policies (see my previous posts) this is bad even for W. I cannot believe that the federal government would deem it ethical, moral, or its place to listen to the private converstaions of our military personell and their loved ones. Not only do we have our troops stuck in Iraq for who knows how long, but now we are giving them the ultimate slap in the face by violating their personal confidence and closest relationships.

I can't think of a better way for our federal government to say "thanks, but no thanks" for the ultimate sacrifice of these brave men and women who not only leave their families, but are risking their lives in the service of our country. I can only hope that people like you and I care enough to write our senators and representatives and let them know that this cannot stand.

US Prison Ships

So, here's another storyline in the Bush Administration's string of human rights abuses. In addition to the secret CIA prisons in foreign countries, a UK newspaper printed an article citing reports of the United States using ships as "floating prisons". This new report sends another shiver down my spine; is this really what the United States has resorted to in the "war on terror"? This is disturbing because not only can you be held without a trial indefinitely, but now our country is "interrogating" terror suspects on board these vessels then moving them to other undetermined locations without ever reporting how many are being held. This is far worse than Abu Ghraib. People may be killed during "interrogation" on these ships, and no one would ever know. Not to mention the "interrogation" techniques being used. These people are being held without public knowledge, with no hope of a trial, being beaten and tortured all in the name of national security. I have heard the argument that those who are innocent have no need to fear, but how many innocent people are being held on these ships or in Guantanamo? We may never know, because many of them may never receive a fair trial. Again, who would know if one of these ghost prisoners were killed on board these ships? The price we are paying for security is too high, and we have allowed the President, mainly W, but all are to fault, to exercise unchecked powers and go to war unilaterally. The public needs to pay attention to these and other civil rights violations being perpetrated by our nation. The United States is in the process of "spreading democracy" across the world, but when we torture, kill, and deny humans their most basic and fundamental rights, how are we justified?
For more information on civil rights, visit Amnesty International or Reprieve.