Unpleasant Reality

"David S. Kris, a former associate deputy attorney general who now works at Time Warner Inc., concludes that a National Security Agency domestic spying program is clearly covered by a 1978 law governing clandestine surveillance, according to a legal analysis and e-mails sent to current Justice officials."

Violations Happen

Eric Lichtblau writes in the New York Times: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation found apparent violations of its own wiretapping and other intelligence-gathering procedures more than 100 times in the last two years, and problems appear to have grown more frequent in some crucial respects, a Justice Department report released Wednesday said.

"While some of these instances were considered technical glitches, the report, from the department's inspector general, characterized others as 'significant,' including wiretaps that were much broader in scope than approved by a court and others that were allowed to continue for weeks or sometimes months longer than was authorized."

Editorials on Spying Oversight

The Washington Post : "Congress cannot reasonably authorize or limit the NSA's program without knowing what sort of surveillance it encompasses and how it works. How big is the program, and how many times has the NSA snooped on Americans using it? What are the technological advances that have rendered FISA obsolete and for what categories of surveillance? To what extent is data-mining part of the new program? Are the targets all abroad, and Americans' communications intercepted only incidentally, or are some of the targets domestic? Is the physical intelligence collection being done domestically or overseas? These questions may sound esoteric, but they are essential to assessing the legality of what the administration has done and how and whether the law should be updated."

The New York Times : "It's breathtakingly cynical. Faced with a president who is almost certainly breaking the law, the Senate sets up a panel to watch him do it and calls that control. . . .

"The Republicans' idea of supervision involves saying the White House should get a warrant for spying whenever possible. Currently a warrant is needed, period. And that's the right law. The White House has not offered a scrap of evidence that it interferes with antiterrorist operations. Mr. Bush simply decided the law did not apply to him."

India Watch

Agence France Presse reports: "The White House struck back at critics of a US-India nuclear deal, denying that the agreement will fuel a South Asia arms race or set a bad example for Israel, Iran, or North Korea. . . .

"In a sign that the domestic political fight over the agreement has started in earnest, the White House released a statement aimed at quieting some of the more serious criticisms."

Here's that White House statement . What's amazing is that apparently the White House even ducks its own questions.

"CRITICS: Only 14 of India's 22 nuclear power reactors will be safeguarded under its separation plan, and India's two developmental fast breeder reactors will remain unsafeguarded. With these facilities, India can produce enough nuclear weapons to significantly expand its current arsenal.

"COUNTERPOINT: The understanding we have reached with India will significantly increase the number of Indian nuclear reactors under IAEA safeguards, as well as bring associated facilities under safeguards. . . .

"This agreement is good for American security because it will bring India's civilian nuclear program into the international nonproliferation mainstream. The agreement also is good for the American economy because it will help meet India's surging energy needs -- and that will lessen India's growing demand for other energy supplies and help restrain energy prices for American consumers."

But what about India's ability to expand its nuclear arsenal? Not addressed -- for obvious reasons .

Easter Egg Roll

The annual White House Easter Egg Roll will be held Monday, April 17 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the South Lawn of the White House. More information here .

Abramoff Watch

Thomas M. DeFrank writes in the New York Daily News: "Disgraced superlobbyist Jack Abramoff sarcastically suggests in an interview that President Bush and some of his political subordinates have a severe case of amnesia about their relationship.

"'What are you [weight]lifting, buff guy?' Abramoff remembers Bush asking him during one of their several meetings that Bush and his spokesmen say they don't recall."

The Associated Press reports: "Abramoff said he finds it hard to believe Bush doesn't remember the 10 or so photos he and members of his family had snapped with the president and first lady.

" 'He (Bush) has one of the best memories of any politician I have ever met,' Abramoff wrote in an e-mail, according to Vanity Fair's April issue being released this week. 'Perhaps he has forgotten everything. Who knows?' "

And Abramoff blames the Bush administration for the media attention.

" 'My so-called relationship with Bush, [Karl] Rove and everyone else at the White House has only become important because instead of just releasing details about the very few times I was there, they created a feeding frenzy by their deafening silence,' Abramoff told the magazine."