Leahy's Unintelligently Timed Intelligence Concerns

By Marc Sheppard

Britain is in its highest state of alert following three failed car bombings in London and Glasgow. Tensions are running full-throttle worldwide and particularly in the United States as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our nation.

Anticipating the busiest travel week of the summer, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said that while there is no "credible evidence" of increased threat to Americans,

"DHS will be implementing plans to increase our security measures at U.S. airports, mass transit and other transportation facilities"

Tim Russert opened this week's Meet the Press with both the frightening Great Britain back-story and an appearance by Chertoff. Asked about the impact here at home, the secretary spoke of an ongoing intelligence investigation and reminded the public to remain vigilant and prepare for security-based inconveniences.

This provided the perfect segue for the arrival of subpoena slap-happy Pat Leahy, who came to explain his demand to expose secret White House documents regarding the Terrorist Surveillance Program.

It seems the fact that the National Security Agency is monitoring email and phone conversations from Americans to those suspected of having ties to terrorism just doesn't sit well with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He's concerned that in the process of gathering life-saving anti-terror intel, civil liberties may be compromised.

I'm sure the barefoot traveling families being patted down at Kennedy Airport will share the Senator's concerns.