Wiretap revelations and presidential trust

Re “Weak on leaks,” Current, May 21

Gabriel Schoenfeld would prefer that the New York Times be prosecuted for publishing the National Security Agency wiretapping revelations, and he would be happy if that were to have “a little chilling effect” on the press. Schoenfeld doesn’t mention FISA -- the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- once, nor does he explain just why the NSA could not be bothered to get a warrant.

As for congressional leaders being briefed on the program, they were forbidden from discussing it even with their staffs, and they had no means of supervising or altering the program -- there were no “channels to address” their concerns.

Nobody in the government has even tried to show how the FISA court, which approves 99% of wiretap requests, harms their efforts against terrorism. We managed to fight the Nazis and face down the Soviets without discarding the rule of law and the separation of powers, but somehow a tiny organization with no military power is a threat great enough that the president can ignore the law.

DOUG SCHWARTZ

Culver City

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Schoenfeld marches in lock-step alongside all the other right-wing media commentators. However, even as they use an “attack-first” campaign to distract public attention from their activities, I have to ask: Is it really a huge secret that the government monitors overseas phone calls? And now that the would-be terrorists are aware, will they stop communicating via phone? Probably not.

The “secret” that we had overseas torture prisons for our captives was a surprise only to Americans. The people we are fighting probably knew of or suspected their existence.

Since 9/11, the Bush administration’s mouthpieces have ferociously attacked anyone not in complete agreement with their position, accusing them of anti-patriotism, naivete and, now, actual crimes of treason. All this noise must serve a purpose. I wonder what else they don’t want us to know.

DAVID HIGGINS

Los Angeles

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Doesn’t Schoenfeld get it that our government’s responsibility concerning national security is to stop the bad guys while protecting our civil rights? If there are laws that prevent members of Congress from revealing the existence of NSA eavesdropping programs, how then will their constituents ever know if their rights are being violated? Leakers are performing a vital service to our nation.

The raft of lies President Bush used to justify the Iraq war have made the nation particularly suspicious of his assertions, which would lead one to think he would try extra hard to allay our fears; instead, he again urges us to trust him. What has he done to earn that trust?

CHRISTIAN BREIDING

Glendale