September 17, 2007 Constitution Day

On July 17, 2007, the U.S.Senate, in a showdown over national security measures, voted to give President Bush expanded authority to eavesdrop on suspected foreign terrorists without court warrants.The House earlier rejected a Democratic version of the bill by a vote of 218-207.

President Bush signed the latest version on August 5.WILPF strongly opposes this further intrusion on our democratic rights to privacy and urges our members, legislators and concerned citizens to work against its implementation and a further erosion of people's rights that will move us closer to dictatorship and away from democratic process.

The law expires in February of 2008 unless Congress acts to extend it.

However, surveillance orders in place at its sunset are effective up to a full year and through Bush's tenure.In fact, a little-noted provision of the FISA bill may allow the administration's new eavesdropping power to continue beyond the term of this president.

New powers are given to the National Security Agency to monitor communications entering the United States that involve foreigners who are subjects of a national security investigation.Lisa Graves of the Center for National Security Studies, a civil liberties advocacy group, said the new law may allow the government to intercept millions of Americans' phone calls and e-mails without warrants - as long as the NSA and other authorities are thinking "foreign suspect".National Intelligence Director, Mike McConnell, and the new Attorney General will have joint authority to approve the monitoring of such calls and e-mails, rather than the 11-member FISA Court.Broad surveillance powers could allow the Bush administration to conduct non-Court approved spy operations, certain kinds of physical searches on American soil, and the collection of Americans' business records."This is a dramatic expansion of government power," said Graves.

This bill continues the erosion, underway since 9/11, of the balance between security and freedom.Terrorists arise from a context.They do not act randomly and without political aims."Americans think the threat is terrorism.Democrats have allowed Mr.Bush and his fear-mongering to dominate all discussion on terrorism and national security.They don't understand that terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution.Terrorists are not anything like the threat we face from our own government in the name of fighting terrorism," according to Graves.

Legislators who voted in favor were put on the defensive with accusations of being unpatriotic, of not supporting current government measures to "protect" the nation.As long as citizens fear government and government tells them to fear the "terrorists", the Administration will continue to violate civil and human rights with relative ease.

The Women's International League for Peace & Freedom/US Section rejects the new FISA bill as an extension of policy antithetical to democracy and, therefore, to peace.