Tell it to Bradley Manning!

It is a double standard.

Bradley Manning and Wikileaks - Bad

Associated Press - Good 

Bradley Manning and Wikileaks Leaked

Associated Press - Got caught about to leak

Journalists will call up The Pentagon Papers to defend the Associated Press. Bradley Manning and Wikileaks did the same thing. It will be interesting to watch the Press and Republicans justify the difference. It might be the first time the Republicans and American Press actually have something in common since the Iraq War. 

Bradley Manning is awaiting his future and Julian Assange is estranged from life for life because he believed Manning had a right to reach the American people. Both believed they would be heroes, instead, their lives have been effected forever with irretrievable paths.

The Iraq War was illegal. The Iraq War was immoral. Yet, the two men responsible for making it obvious are faced with a life of estrangement and prison. The Associated Press was caught carrying out a potential threat to the security of the American people and the Press engaged in Group Think to circle the wagons.

There was nothing Manning or Assange did to endanger the national security of the USA. The AP can't say the same thing, but, they sure as hell will try and the 'Herd of American Journals' will seek to back the most convenient political theme to assist their war with Obama.

Benjamin Franklin and Bradley Manning (click here)

By Russ Castronovo

McClatchy Tribune Forum

May 13, 2013

...In the battle over public opinion, the stolen letters that Franklin transmitted to the Sons of Liberty were a decisive weapon for American patriots such as Sam Adams.

Just as Manning sought out WikiLeaks to publish information that he felt citizens had the right to know, Franklin turned to a group of American radicals to spread the secret doings of an empire.

Like Manning, Franklin was soon under investigation for what many in Britain viewed as an act of treachery. He worried that he might wind up in the infamous Newgate prison in London.

The portrait of Franklin that emerged from the show trial orchestrated by Britain’s Privy Council bears no resemblance to the image we now have of this Founding Father. Dishonorable, scheming, faithless: This is what detractors in Parliament called Franklin....

The lady loves her babies. Mom has got to be there.

I would love to see the fashion world surround her and Vanity Fair do a layout when she is ready.

Women need her. They need a hero to show the world exactly what a beautiful woman looks like. 

Men need her. Women are often abandoned after mastectomy. They need the idea that a beautiful woman can go through any hurdle in life and succeed. 

Marriages need her. She and Brad have to reaffirm their marriage as the strength of their family.

I admire her. She has every reason to believe in her affirmation of life and the victory of living. She has accomplished incredible acts in her life, both within the theater and on life's stages including her work with the United Nations. She has the potential to provide women and men with a new reality about the zest of life and a victory over cancer.
By Joseph SernaThis post has been corrected. See note below for details.May 14, 2013, 12:12 p.m.

Angelina Jolie (click here) said the decision to undergo a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of getting breast cancer "wasn't easy."

In an op-ed in the New York Times under the headline “My Medical Choice,” the Oscar-winning actress said she underwent surgical procedures to remove both breasts between February and April.

Jolie, 37, said that genetic testing discovered she had the BRCA1 gene, which increased her chances of developing breast cancer to 87%....

S. 744 is the Immigration Reform Bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently working on the amendments. Some are being rejected, some accepted and some consolidate.

Senator Schumer's website has a summary of all the aspects of this bill.

Our federal immigration system is badly broken. (click here) This broken system has produced dysfunctional outcomes. It has created an unsustainable situation where thousands of people cross our southern border illegally each day while, at the same time, we continue to see shortages in much needed occupations such as doctors, scientists, engineers, and agricultural workers. And, on the flip side, the fact that we do not have good, strong, workable federal immigration laws is now causing states to pass inconsistent laws that create havoc for employers and law enforcement....

..., I truly believe that the fundamentals for immigration reform exist if we coalesce around seven key principles that the American people overwhelmingly support.

• Illegal immigration is wrong, and a primary goal of immigration reform must be to dramatically curtail future illegal immigration.
• Operational control of our borders--through significant additional increases in infrastructure, technology, and border personnel--must be achieved.
• A biometric-based employer verification system—with tough enforcement and auditing using a fraud-proof social security card—is necessary to significantly diminish the job magnet that attracts illegal aliens to the United States and to provide certainty and simplicity for employers.
• All illegal immigrants present in the United States on the date of enactment of reform legislation must quickly register their presence with the United States Government—and submit to a rigorous 8-year process of earning legal status by submitting to background check, paying taxes, learning English and Civics, and submitting to penalties for their conduct—or face imminent deportation.
• Family reunification is a cornerstone value of our immigration system. By dramatically reducing illegal immigration, we will create more room for both family immigration and employment-based immigration.
• We must encourage the world’s best and brightest individuals to come to the United States and create the new technologies and businesses that will employ countless American workers, but must discourage businesses from using our immigration laws as a means to obtain temporary and less-expensive foreign labor to replace capable American workers.
• We must create a legal immigration system that ends the current flow of low-skilled illegal immigrants into the United States and creates a more manageable and controlled flow of legal immigrants who can be absorbed by our economy at times when workers are needed

Border Security

I recently wrote and passed The Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R.6080/S.3721). This act provided over $600 million of reinforcements for border security. The funds were used to hire 1,000 new Border Patrol agents to permanently patrol our southern border and 250 new agents for our ports of entry. It created a “strike force” that can be deployed in different areas of the southwest border depending on where the need is greatest at any particular moment. It provided funds to deploy unmanned drones to fly along our southern border and provide our patrol officers on the ground with real-time information on unlawful border crossings. The bill also provided funds to: improve communications capabilities between federal border enforcement and state and local officers along the border; construct forward operating bases for the border patrol to use that are actually located on the border itself rather than hundreds of miles away; give Immigration and Customs Enforcement resources to conduct investigations of drug-runners, money-launderers, and human traffickers along our border; and increase the number of ATF , DEA , and FBI agents on our border and bolster the number of prosecutors and court resources along our border so that wrongdoers can immediately be brought to justice.

The best part of this border package is that it was fully paid for through visa fees on abusers of temporary worker programs and does not increase the deficit by a single penny.

Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy

I recently wrote and passed the Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act of (H.R.4748/S.3467). This law amended the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006 to require the Director of National Drug Control Policy, not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act and every two years thereafter, to develop and submit to specified congressional committees a Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy. It requires such Strategy to: 

• Set forth the strategy of the federal government for preventing the illegal trafficking of drugs across the international border between the United States and Canada, including through and between ports of entry.
• State the specific roles and responsibilities of each relevant National Drug Control Program agency for implementing the strategy.
• Identify the specific resources required to enable the relevant agencies to implement the strategy.
• Reflect the unique nature of small communities along the border, ongoing cooperation and coordination with Canadian law enforcement authorities, and variations in the volumes of vehicles and pedestrians crossing through ports of entry along the border.
• Include a strategy to end the illegal trafficking of drugs to or through Indian reservations on or near the border

Fighting Mexican Drug Cartels

After sustained advocacy, I convinced the Obama administration to provide broader arrest authority to immigration agents stationed along the U.S. border to combat drug and weapons smugglers. My office pressed for the expanded authority to be given to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers after meeting with the head of that agency, John Morton. ICE previously had its arrest powers limited to immigration crimes despite being the nation’s lead enforcement agency stationed along the border. In order to take on the drug cartels in a more coordinated way and crack down on all of these illegal trades, ICE needed drug-arrest powers, or so-called “Title 21” authority, as almost all state and local law enforcement officials have.

Combating Companies Who Abuse Immigration Visas in Order to Outsource American High-Tech Jobs

I drafted and enacted legislation that raised immigration visa fees for companies who try to exploit loopholes in our immigration system in order to employ the vast majority of their workers on foreign work-visas. These companies staff their foreign workers to companies in America and take away good-paying jobs that can easily be taken by Americans. By raising these fees, I ensured that hard-working Americans wishing to perform these high-tech jobs will not be undersold by foreign labor and that foreign labor is only used as a last resort when American workers are truly unavailable to fill open jobs.

Reducing Visa Overstays

Upon advocating for changes in policy to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano , the Department agreed to begin installing electronic readers at airports to determine the authenticity of identifications used by passengers seeking to board airplanes. These readers will help to reduce the risk posed by potential terrorists using fake identifications that are not detected by airport screeners. Secretary Napolitano also agreed with my suggestion that these readers should also have the capability to screen identifications against terrorist watch lists and record the exit of foreigners leaving the United States so that visa overstays can be reduced.

Improving the Security of U.S. Passports

I improved the security of U.S passports by demanding that the Government Printing Office halt overseas production of electronic chips used in American passports. My actions followed a joint investigation by ABC News and the Center for Public Integrity which revealed a years-long failure by the agency to resolve persistent concerns about the security risks involved in the outsourcing. As a result of my efforts, the GPO announced that it would stop production of electronic passport components assembled at a factory in Thailand, which is considered the key piece of the nation's new, more sophisticated E-Passport. These chips will now be produced in the United States, which will create jobs for Americans and improve our security. 


The current discussion within the Senate Judiciary Committee involves VISA status and language.

S.744 Official Title as introduced:

Latest Title: Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (click here)

Sponsor Senator Charles E. Schumer

There are seven co-sponsors: Michael F. Bennet, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Jeff Flake, Senator Lindsay Graham, Senator John McCain, Senator Robert Menendez and Senator Marco Rubio.

Other Titles: SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED:

Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act
Agricultural Worker Program Act of 2013

Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2013

DREAM Act 2013

Jobs Originated through Launching Travel Act of 2013

JOLT Act of 2013

Related Bills: 

H.R. 490  Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act (click here)

S.223  Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act (click here)

S. 616 Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act (click here)

Latest Major Action: 5/9/2013 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on the Judiciary. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.

ALL ACTIONS:

4/16/2013: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

4/19/2013: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

4/22/2013: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

4/23/2013: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

5/9/2013: Committee on the Judiciary. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.

5/7/2013: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held.

SUBJECT(S): CRS INDEX TERMS:(click here) It is a very long bill.

The Senate hearings about Immigration Reform is live on C-Span 3 (click here)

S.744 Amendments (click here)

The link above lists the amendments written within the Senate Judiciary Committee. It doesn't mean all made it to the floor of the Senate.

Senator Leahy has eight amendments listed.

Senator Feinstein has fourteen amendments listed.

Senator Shumer has five amendments listed.

Senator Durbin has no amendments listed.

Senator Whitehouse has six amendments listed.

Senator Klobuchar has six amendments listed.

Senator Franken has twelve amendments listed.

Senator Coons has thirteen amendments listed.

Senator Blumenthal has eighteen amendments listed.

Senator Hirono has twenty-four amendments listed.

Senator Grassley has seventy-seven amendments listed.

Senator Hatch has twenty-four amendments listed.

Senator Sessions has forty-five amendments listed.

Senator Graham has three amendments listed.

Senator Cornyn has nine amendments listed.

Senator Lee has twenty-three amendments listed.

Senator Cruz has five amendments listed.

Senator Flake has four amendments listed.

S Amendment 711 - legal guns - continued

``Remington Model 40-X Bolt Action Rifles(below)

The Remington Model 40X (click here) is a single-shot, .22LR bolt-action rifle. Overall length is 46.5″, with a 28″, six-groove barrel (standard or heavy contour). The heavy barrel model has a barrel diameter at the muzzle of 7/8″ while the sporter model measures 3/4″ at the muzzle. All of these rifles are returns from JROTC and have been in use for decades.

       ``Remington Model 700 Alaskan Ti
       ``Remington Model 700 Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Remington Model 700 CDL
       ``Remington Model 700 CDL `Boone and Crockett'
       ``Remington Model 700 CDL Left-Hand(below - for sale online for $900 - click here)


[[Page S2602]]
       ``Remington Model 700 CDL SF Limited Edition
       ``Remington Model 700 LSS
       ``Remington Model 700 Mountain LSS
       ``Remington Model 700 Sendero SF II
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Buckmasters Edition
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Buckmasters Edition `Young Bucks'  Youth (below)



OVERVIEW: (click here)

Young shooters are more likely to become stewards of the shooting sports if they start with a gun that fits properly. Exactly why we crafted our standard, premium-grade stocks with a shorter length of pull, then fit them to some of our finest firearms. All compact firearms are equipped with our new Adjustable Length of Pull System. So, fit can be customized to youngsters as they grow, and adults requiring a shorter length of pull can tailor compact firearms to their specific needs. Rifles feature 20" barrels and youth shotguns have 21" barrels (20" for deer gun).
``Remington Model 700 SPS Stainless
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Tactical Rifle
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Varmint
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Varmint (Left-Hand)
       ``Remington Model 700 SPS Youth Synthetic Left-Hand
       ``Remington Model 700 VL SS Thumbhole(below - for sale online for $900.00 - click here)


       ``Remington Model 700 VLS
       ``Remington Model 700 VS SF II
       ``Remington Model 700 VTR
       ``Remington Model 700 XCR
       ``Remington Model 700 XCR Camo
       ``Remington Model 700 XCR Compact Tactical Rifle
       ``Remington Model 700 XCR Left-Hand
       ``Remington Model 700 XCR Tactical Long Range Rifle
       ``Remington Model 715(below - for sale online for $310.00 - click here) The cost is tempered with the synthetic material used for the gun stock.


``Remington Model 770
       ``Remington Model 770 Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Remington Model 770 Stainless Camo
       ``Remington Model 770 Youth
       ``Remington Model 798
       ``Remington Model 798 Safari
       ``Remington Model 798 SPS
       ``Remington Model 799(below - sold at auction for $494.99 - click here)


       ``Remington Model Seven 25th Anniversary
       ``Remington Model Seven Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Remington Model Seven CDL
       ``Remington Model Seven Custom KS(below - for sale online for $1700.00 - click here)


``Remington Model Seven Custom MS Rifle
       ``Remington Model Seven Predator
       ``Remington Model Seven Youth Rifle

More tomorrow. Thank you for your interest.
       

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is absolutely correct about all his questions.

He is not manipulating the truth, he is not bating the press, he is not evading his responsibility. Now, I don't know what the press wants, but, I want the truth. I don't care about the spin, I want to come to understand the actions of my government and the brevity of the decisions being made.

The Associated Press did not know there was any investigation of their phones until after the fact when the Justice Department lawfully notified them when the investigation was concluded. That tells me a couple of things. The investigation was necessary enough to carry it out regardless of the Press Protocol of being notified first. Evidently, the agency involved felt strongly enough that they wanted normal traffic at the AP and the phones involved. 

Additionally, it tells me there was no suspicion by the Press about the activities of the government, so their work was not interrupted.

I will say this. The Obama Administration might be the first time in forty years the Press has had contact with a legitimate President involved with the people of the nation to bring about change that works for them rather than other priorities. I love President Obama. I don't think he is up for sainthood, but, he received a Nobel Peace Prize because of the priorities he set for his administration. The Press is not going to take him away from us in any way shape or form including his governing style.

Quite frankly, the 'timing' of the investigation of the AP phones would have been met with outrage and everyone knows it would have been if it was at a sensitive time in relation to elections. It would have been construed as being manipulative in electioneering and oppressive of the Press and on and on. So, there are times when notifying the Press during delicate political times is simply not conducive to a free and open election.

I already know the Obama Administration has done nothing wrong. Scandalous is the point of view of the Right Wing. Whatever.

The USA government is allowed to investigate the Press if there is suspicion of wrong doing or in having information that is vital to National Security.

It is unbecoming to demand the same exact answer from the White House Press Secretary over and over because the Press is having a hissy fit. I mean. Don't they get it? Carney has no other answers for them. Torture works sometimes I suppose.

There are no complicating factors about sources UNTIL the Associated Press decided to scream bloody murder over the letter they received. The Press needs to take up any compromise of their sources to the AP, not the government!

AG Holder stated the administration was concerned about a  VERY SERIOUS LEAK. End of discussion. Attorney General Holder stated the leak was compromising the safety of the people of the USA. There isn't anything else to know. I suggest the Press do some peer review and find out why the Associated Press phones were considered an appendage to a threat of the national security of the people of the USA. Seriously.

The Press might want to begin their peer review with Ed Henry.

This is the signing statement by the Late President Ronald Reagan.

It lays out a very clear understanding to the importance of the State Department in national security and not just promoting economic benefits.

This focus increases the danger to the USA foreign service. But, the interesting aspect is Reagan wanted recognition for this capacity to our national security. Why is that important? Because it would demand Congress to provide plenty of funding to the State Department to carry out this directive. 

We have witnessed the decreases in funding to the State Department do to priorities of Republicans. In the Bush Administration the State Department took a back seat to the military. Today, there is no regret by House Republicans in cutting funding to The State Department.

This proves to me the 'new age' Republicans are grossly out of step with the priorities of Reagan while calling them 'father.' It also proves beyond a doubt why the 'new age' Bush Republicans focus on military intervention over any attempt to use diplomatic relations and building peace initiatives. The Bush Republicans want to 'rush to arms' and justify high amounts of military spending for war than any other measure by this country.

In the case of Benghanzi, the Republicans see a reason to scream about sending in military assets to rescue the foreign mission when in fact that was never possible. These Republicans still aren't interested in spending money on diplomatic missions, but, only "We should have invaded," as if that is the answer to every ripple in the global fabric.

The American people need to appreciate the sincere sacrifice the USA foreign services carry out everyday for this country. They need to demand secure facilities abroad that actually serve the State Department and are not simply pork barrel project for Republican cronies as the Baghdad facility was. The State Department personnel over the decades since this signing statement have complained ad nauseam about the lack of sincere purpose for the facilities built abroad. 

If we are to believe the Late President Reagan and place a high priority on this capacity of the USA, there is absolutely no excuse for lack of funding or wasteful spending for our State Department.

Statement on Signing the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (click here)

August 27, 1986

I have signed into law H.R. 4151, the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986. This marks yet another step forward in our bipartisan effort to eradicate international terrorism. I would like to recognize the valuable contributions to this legislation by the Vice President and his Task Force on Combatting Terrorism; Secretary [of State] Shultz and Admiral Inman and their Panel on Diplomatic Security; and the work of Senator Richard Lugar and Representatives Dante Fascell, Bill Broomfield, Dan Mica, and Olympia Snowe, as well as many other distinguished Members of the Congress for bringing the various parts of this act together. This is truly a bipartisan piece of work.

This act once again puts those who would instigate acts of terrorism against U.S. citizens or property on notice that we will not be deterred from carrying out our obligations throughout the world. I am committed to ensuring the safety of our diplomats, servicemen, and citizens wherever they may be. This historic act provides the organization and authorities necessary to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Panel on Overseas Security. It also establishes within the Department of State a new Bureau of Diplomatic Security and a Diplomatic Security Service to increase the professionalism and effectiveness of our security personnel. Another important piece of this act that I am particularly pleased to have supported is the victims of terrorism assistance program. This, for the first time, will provide for the care and welfare of the victims of terrorism and their families.

At the same time, I continue to urge cooperation with all nations, on both a bilateral and multilateral basis, to seek ways to work together to end the continuing onslaught of international terrorism against civilized society. Seeking international cooperation is vital in the struggle against terrorism, and that effort will remain a top foreign policy priority for me. Within the Government, cooperation and coordination between all departments and agencies is also essential in protecting our vital national security interests from the terrorist threat.

We can never legislate an end to terrorism. However, we must remain resolute in our commitment to confront this criminal behavior in every way -- diplomatically, economically, legally, and, when necessary, militarily. First-rate intelligence remains the key element in each of these areas. We will continue to improve our ability to predict, prevent, and respond to threats of terrorism with an expanded intelligence-gathering capability. We will continue to work with the Congress to identify legislative gaps in our ability to combat terrorism. This act adds to our capabilities and further demonstrates our resolve. I congratulate those responsible for this historic act.

Note: H.R. 4151, approved August 27, was assigned Public Law No. 99 - 399.

The issues stated to be scandals in the past week don't really seem like 'all that.' It seems more like distractions to me. There are far more important matters.

There is plenty of room for the truth regarding Benghazi, IRS and the AP. While the truth can be boring and is not a popular idea in political circles there is a place for it.

Benghazi is mostly settled. The American people already have the truth. You know what I find interesting about the investigation by the Blue Ribbon Panel? I find the Law under which the investigation was conducted more than interesting.

Pursuant to Title III of the Omnibus Diplomatic and Antiterrorism Act of 1986, 22 U.S.C. § 4831 et seq., (the “Act”),...

The Omnibus...Act of 1986 was signed into law by Ronald Reagan. It was based in the NEED for additional security of the State Department missions. It was about BUILDING secure facilities. The result of Congress to act on this law from 1986 is abysmal.

This is the act by the President to convene an advisory panel before the law was drawn up and written.

June 1985

INTRODUCTION

In convening (click here) the Advisory Panel on Overseas Security, the Secretary of State outlined the scope and dimension of the security problems that confront the United States in continuing to do diplomatic business overseas as well as in providing adequate reciprocal protection for foreigners stationed or visiting the United States on diplomatic business. With the cooperation of a wide range of U.S. Government domestic and foreign affairs agencies, the Panel has examined the issues that relate to diplomatic security in the U.S and overseas....

...The Panel recommends that the Secretary ask for legislation that would establish a Board of Inquiry or, alternatively, using existing authorities, put in place such board to undertake investigations into major security incidents in the future....

The significant part of this Advisory Panel is the fact in 1986 counterterrorism measures were recognized in increasing importance and that fact The State Department facilities were very valuable in understanding the networks within other nations. The one true way of understanding the elements in the country was to build an assessment of the security needs of the facilities.

...Future of the Threat

There is a consensus within the government and among private scholars that terrorism will be with us for a long time. The approach and kind of specific attacks will constantly change as defensive measures are taken to meet them. The United States will be a principal target of this assault. The evolution of terrorist groups from single issue elements -- such as the PLO, IRA and Basque Separatists -- to state-sponsored terrorism will ensure continued attacks against the United States....

There are many recommendations by the panel in 1986, but, to validate the high priority of the needs of the State Department is the paragraph above. In 1986, the Advisory Panel to Ronald Reagan knew the importance of a well funded State Department. In many ways, the foreign service was the forefront of understanding the networks throughout the world that could bring attacks to the USA. This is almost and in some ways more important than the military, yet The State Department continues to be underfunded with insufficient facilities.

That said, the truth about the IRS is still forthcoming in an Inspector General's report. This is more about Karl Rove than the Right Wing wants to admit. Rove was found to be violating the law. He had to disclose this donors. So, such insults to the IRS process will carry brevity with those in responsibility for the political integrity of the USA. This is going to damage the RNC. The Tea Party will become more popular because of this. I don't see this as an issue for Democrats actually.

The AP complaints are mostly mute. The government did not interfer with the operations of the media. There are no investigations of the media due to the findings of the government and this is more about intelligence gathering. This isn't about intimidation or oppression or the First Amendment.

Unfortunately, 2013 is looking like 365 days of "Friday the 13th" for the Obama Administration. It isn't easy being the guy with all the power of the Executive Office for eight years, ya know?

The Associated Press had problems, no? Sometimes the streams cross. I don't think the First Amendment is in trouble.

I hate to rain on the 'poor me' story of the AP, but, I assume the news community wanted their journalists returned and safe when possible, no? One of the statements made by Andrea Mitchell was, "One of the numbers is a phone we all use." Oh. 

I know it is noteworthy for every issue to be a scandal, but, there are reasons for the USA government to tap the lines of those with information captured, missing or imprisoned. One might recall Secretary Clinton was exceptionally successful in having Americans rescued from their own actions abroad. Hello? 

I find it interesting how the news media immediately wants to scream, "The sky is falling." Did the Associated Press not take into consideration the real purpose of the government for two months? 

Given the business, I hardly think a two month wiretap when the government interfered in the functions of journalists is a sincere issue. The best the news community can do is state "paranoia." Really? Anyone want to try that again?

NBC News (click here) chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel has gone missing in Syria, according to Turkish news reports. The reports also say that Aziz Akyavaş, a Turkish journalist working with Engel, is unaccounted for. NBC News has been successfully keeping Engel's status subject to a news blackout—one to which Gawker agreed until now—for at least the past 24 hours. ...

All this wasn't sensitive material even after the fact? You mean to tell if the USA government could garner information about Syria by tapping a news organization it wasn't going to do it? Whom exactly does the AP think they are? 

By DAVID BAUDERDec. 18, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC was able to keep (click here) the abduction of chief Middle East correspondent Richard Engel in Syria largely a secret until he escaped late Monday because it persuaded some of this country's most prominent news organizations to hold back on the story. 

Otherwise, the disappearance of Engel — probably the most high-profile international television reporter on a U.S. network — would have been big news. 

Engel and three colleagues, producers Ghazi Balkiz and Aziz Akyavas and photographer John Kooistra, escaped during a firefight between rebels and their captors, forces sympathetic to the Syrian government. The journalists were dragged from their cars, kept bound and blindfolded and threatened with death. 

NBC said it did not know what had happened to the men until after their escape. The first sign of trouble came last Thursday, when Engel did not check back with his office at an agreed-upon time....

And the records included Yemen. Get for real.

Journalists are often considered 'agents' abroad by some governments. It makes sense why sometimes.

The 'idea' this is oppressive of 'leakers' is nonsense. There are such things as Whistleblower Laws protecting those that bring information to the public that compromises them. So, that idea can take a hike.