[NEWS] Clinton signs bill on intelligence

["E. Allen Smith" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU>]

>   ______________________________________________________________________
>          Long Distance Free Call when you switch to AT&T for free
>   ______________________________________________________________________
>           Clinton to sign bill restructuring intelligence-gathering
>  __________________________________________________________________________
>      Copyright � 1996 Nando.net
>      Copyright � 1996 The Associated Press
      
>   CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (Oct 5, 1996 4:54 p.m. EDT) -- President Clinton will
>   sign a bill requiring modest changes in the U.S. intelligence
>   community, despite the CIA director's objection to one of its
>   provisions, officials said Saturday.
   
>   The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the bill
>   satisfies Clinton's desire to restructure intelligence-gathering
>   agencies in light of post-Cold War threats.

	Translation: now that we're no longer using Communism as the
standard threat to justify stuff, we'll use terrorism et al.
   
>   The bill:
   
>   --Gives the FBI power to subpoena local telephone records.

	Remind me to use pay phones.
   
>   --Authorizes the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security
>   Agency to collect data on foreign citizens for U.S. investigations.
   
>   --Requires Senate confirmation of the CIA's general counsel. That is
>   meant to prevent political influence over a position designed to block
>   illegal covert operations.

	Senate confirmation will _prevent_ political influence?
   
[...]

>   "We want to see some new structures developed to take into account our
>   need both to conserve resources, but also address some of the new
>   threats and the new challenges we face in the world," McCurry told
>   reporters at Clinton's pre-debate retreat.
   
>   Still, the bill presents a diminished version of reforms lawmakers
>   sought after scandals involving CIA activities in Guatemala,
>   misspending by the National Reconnaissance Office and years of
>   espionage by former CIA officer Aldrich Ames.
   
>    Copyright � 1996 Nando.net