Surveillance Disclosure Denounced

US President George Bush denounces “The New York Times” for publishing an article concerning the president’s secret anti-terrorism program that involves access, unapproved by US Congress or the courts, to bank records from nearly 8,000 banks in more than 20 countries. The paper also broke news earlier this year about a government telephone-surveillance program. Supporters of such surveillance programs suggest that the media reports threaten national security; some critics claim the programs are an unnecessary invasion of privacy, and argue that such articles are published for the public good. Before publishing the articles, the newspaper’s editors debated the pros and cons of exposing the programs – and went ahead, partly because President Bush himself announced plans to track terrorists’ finances shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Bush insists that his program does not overstep the law. Editor Bill Keller retorts that he understands the need for discretionary approaches to publishing government information, yet does not think it is “wise, or patriotic, to always take the President at his word….” Members of Congress, even the president’s harshest critics, explain that they support surveillance programs in principle, but that the president should not avoid checks and balances by hiding such programs from Congress or the courts. The government has not yet announced plans to investigate the source behind the article, but undoubtedly realizes that such leaks often come from government employees troubled about what they are asked to do. – YaleGlobal