AJC: Strong wiretap controls needed

Strong wiretap controls needed -- editorial from ajc.com: "Whenever President Bush speaks of his program of eavesdropping without warrants, he insists that he and the national security apparatus only want to keep tabs on terrorists. That's just fine — as far as it goes. Virtually no Americans object to that.

The problem is this: If citizens hand over to government unlimited power to eavesdrop, it may not stop at listening in on terrorists. It may start listening in on perfectly innocent conversations between relatives in Detroit and Pakistan, on business conversations between rivals of Halliburton or on their political enemies. That's why a sensible safeguard — getting a warrant — is necessary. It ensures that the government doesn't overstep its bounds."