First of all, a thank you to ondelette for his explanations of how data mining actually works; it's always a pleasure to have someone who knows what he's talking about contributing to the discussion.

His primer on what data mining can and can't do effectively has set me to further thinking about how it has been used, and is being used by the brutal utilitarians of our present administration. Even though the following speculation is based to some extent on what he's said here, it's just that -- speculation -- and it's mine alone. I apologize in advance if I've run off in the wrong direction with the information he's provided.

That said, it seems pretty clear to me from the external evidence that the data mining programs, known and unknown, which were put into place since 9/11, and perhaps before it, have been used by the Bush administration for illegitimate purposes, everything from helping Karl Rove identify key districts to target for voter fraud and compiling lists of corporate donors, to intimidating weaker members of congress, principally so-called RINOS, but also Democrats in conservative districts, and in Republican opposition research. I've not much doubt that it's also been used to harrass peace and environmental groups, and to identify, say, climatologists in Federal agencies who subscribe to the Nation, or contribute to the Sierra Club.

If only that were its only use. When looking more closely at the practices of torture, extraordinary rendition, and the roundup of Middle Eastern residents of the U.S. in the wake of 9/11, another, an even more disturbing possibility starts to emerge. It seems quite likely to me that the weakness of data mining when it comes to identifying particular targets from a mass of circumstantial data led to a decision at the highest level of the Bush Administration to ignore the problem of false positives, and simply round up all the people with suspect profiles thrown up by the data mining operation, letting prolonged incarceration and torture sort them out, and if necessary outsourcing their mistreatment to friendly countries in the Arab world or Eastern Europe in cases where holding them in the U.S. itself might have proven inconvenient or embarrassing.

This was quicker and cheaper, no doubt, than trying to find enough FBI agents to follow up on the positive hits and weed out the wheat from the chaff by more conventional -- and more reliable -- means of investigation. It was also callous and brutal in ways which brought dishonor to us as citizens of the U.S. without our even being aware of it.

This scenario is pure speculation, I admit, but how else might one explain why folks like an Iranian American illegally imporing Iranian saffron through a cutout in Spain, or a Canadian doctor of Lebanese descent on his way to visit his aged mother in the Shi'a district of Beirut could suddenly find themselves being waterboarded in a basement in Cairo or Dushanbe? How else could you explain all those folks of Middle Eastern descent in cages after 9/11, some of whom might still be there for all we know?

This reminds me -- in kind, if not in degree -- of Nazi practices in the concentration camps, practices which led to the routine shipment of gold teeth to smelters for reprocessing, or to medical experiments on hapless prisoners. The application of industrial -- or post-industrial -- processes to the treatment of putative enemies and subversives for no reason other than administrative convenience, and without regard to who or what was being processed, is an abomination no matter who indulges in it. The U.S. government under GWB may not have done such things as I'm speculating on here, but the mere suspicion that it has should drive us to pursue the subject until we are sure one way or another, and if anyone is indeed guilty, to see that justice is done, and that they pay for their abominations.

"How is this not a major scandal on the level of the greatest presidential corruption and lawbreaking scandals in our country's history? Why is this only a one-day story that will focus on the hospital drama but not on what it reveals about the bulging and unparalleled corruption of this administration and the complete erosion of the rule of law in our country?"

Just connecting the dots, it would seem to me that Cheney, Bush & Co. used these ill-gotten powers to keep in check the very people whose job it is to report the above. Its quite possible that they have coerced many a would-be 'journalist' and 'pol' to fageddabout what they know. Many elements of the Valerie Plame situation lends itself to this aspect of particularly Cheney's behavior.

Also, if this NSA spying (and subsequent information) empowered them to the point of totally removing certain 'undesirables' in the DOJ....What does it say about the remaining USA's who are still functioning there...with their approval?

I think the lack of reference to NSA officials or operations in Comey's narrative is overblown.

I find it not the least surprising that there is no mention of NSA in the story. Comey details a contretemps between the White House staff and the Department of Justice. NSA is not part of DOJ, but part of the Department of Defense (War). The FBI, which does play a prominent part in the narrative, is, on the other hand, part of DOJ. DOJ does not coordinate with or direct NSA but it does coordinate and direct the FBI. Render unto DOJ that which is DOJ's and render unto DOD that which is DOD's.

So nowwe know liberal's just don't care THAT WE CAN ALL GET KILLED BY TERRORIST!!! I geuss yoy think the terrorrists will just let you live cause your all godless pagans but you better think again they want YOU DEAED TO!!! So why don't you let the commanderin chief do his job for a change and GET OFFHIS BACK FOR A GCANGE AND LET HIM DO HIS JOB. Or do you want the terrorits to kill us all. I guess so. It's clear that you all HATE this GREAT COUNTRY AND ONLY WANT TO DESTROY IT'S GREAT FREEDOMS and that's DISGUSTING to the EXTREME!!! and you shou;;d all be ashamed of yourself how do you sleep at night. HOW DARE YOU PUT US ALL IN JEPOERDY !!! You have no right to criticize the commander IN CHIEF AT A TIME of war when our beave fighting TROOP'S ARE IN HARM'S WAY clearly you KNOW THOS TO BE TRUE AND YET YOU CONTINUE TO SEEK to destroy our great NATION!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!