” ‘Dealing with al-Qaeda is not simply a matter of law enforcement,’ President Bush said in a press conference on December 19, 2005. ‘It requires defending the country against an enemy that declared war against the United States. …So, consistent with U.S. law and Constitution, I authorized the interception of international communications of people with known links to al-Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. …Leaders in the United States Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times on this program. …I’ve reauthorized this program more than 30 times since the September 11th attacks, and I intend to do so for as long as…the nation faces the continuing threat…’ ”
– Thomas Powers, The Military Error, Page 90