In Addition to Which, if we Were Going to Bomb Our Citizens, Why, Then We’d Certainly Obtain a Warrant Beforehand

Michael V. Hayden, former head of the National Security Agency, is mounting a White House-endorsed PR offensive for the legally innovative wiretapping initiative, WaPo reporter Michael Branigan writes. (Preferred Wonkette HQ usage for the program, by the way, is “Warrants? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Warrants!”) Warming to the task, Hadley volunteered that if a procedure-smiting spy program had been in place prior to Sept. 11, “we would have detected some of the al Qaeda operatives in the United States, and we would have identified them as such.” Hadley produced no evidence to support this claim—which may well be a good thing, since this is what it sounds like when he does try to appeal to evidence:

“The tools and techniques and tactics and procedures we use to determine ‘Is this an al Qaeda communications?’ are the same tools, techniques, tactics and procedures we use to tell America’s armed forces that ‘you can go ahead and put a 500-pound bomb on that target,’ ” Hayden said. “It’s the same art and science. So this is not done … idly.”

Sheesh. Why didn’t you say so? We feel much better now. —HOLLY MARTINS

Intelligence Chief Defends Domestic Spying Program [WaPo]

READ MORE: michael v. hadley, nsa, top, warrantless spying