2006年VOA标准英语- Bush Defends Domestic Spying Program

By Paula Wolfson
White House
23 January 2006

President Bush is stepping up his campaign to win support for a controversial domestic spying program. Mr. Bush says the program is an essential tool in the war on terrorism.

After initially¹ refusing to comment on the existence of the spy program, the White House is now waging an all-out campaign to win over the American public.

 
George Bush gestures during a speech about war on terror at Kansas State University
  
The president launched the enhanced effort with a trip to the American heartland and a speech at Kansas State University.

"I want people here to clearly understand why I made the decision I made," he said.

He defended the eavesdropping² activities of the National Security Agency in the strongest possible terms. He even gave the effort a new label, referring to it for the first time as a terrorist surveillance program.

"It's a different kind of war with a different kind of enemy," he said. "If they are making phone calls into the United States, we need to know why."

Once again, the president stressed the program is limited to calls between people in the United States and contacts abroad with suspected terrorist ties. He said he has the legal authority as commander-in-chief of the United States to authorize³ such surveillance, even though it would appear to run counter to U.S. law requiring approval by a special court.

Critics charge the program goes too far and compromises individual liberties enshrined in the constitution. But President Bush said his actions were legal, the program was constantly reviewed, and Congressional leaders were briefed.

"You know, it is amazing that people say to me, 'Well, he was just breaking the law,'" he said. "If I wanted to break the law, why was I briefing Congress?"

Congressional hearings on the program are set to begin February 6. Public opinion surveys show many Americans have mixed feelings about the surveillance effort. Fifty-six percent of those questioned in one recent nationwide poll said they oppose wiretaps without a warrant. But other surveys have shown support for such action when taken to counter a terrorist threat.

1 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

2 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

3 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。