Fight over court role in US eavesdropping

FIGHT OVER COURT ROLE IN EAVESDROPPING
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Peter Grier]
To what extent should courts become involved in the oversight of sensitive US eavesdropping operations? That is one of the most crucial items at issue in the developing struggle between congressional Democrats and the White House over new legislation to extend the government's surveillance authority. Key House Democrats say judges should look over the National Security Agency's shoulder more often. Under a bill approved by two House committees Wednesday, if the NSA wants to listen in on foreigners outside the United States but a possibility exists that these targets might communicate with Americans, then the government needs to get a blanket court order approving the effort for up to a year. The Bush administration says that provision could hobble American intelligence. In practical terms, it's always possible that foreign targets might call the US, say US officials. Thus, the NSA might have to get court approval even for wiretapping operations aimed at foreign-to-foreign communications.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1012/p03s02-uspo.html

* Should AT&T be held legally responsible for any NSA cooperation?
http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9796284-38.html