Senator Hatch lashes out at critics of domestic surveillance program
{{date|February 21, 2006}} 

At a private luncheon in his home state of [[Utah]], Republican [[United States|U.S.]] Senator [[w:Orrin Hatch|Orrin Hatch]] delivered some strong words for critics of [[w:President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush's]] domestic surveillance program and war on terrorism.

Speaking to a few dozen political and business leaders, Hatch defended the President's surveillance actions: "I have to tell you, this president has guts and he deserves your support."  He reserved specific criticism for his fellow Congress leaders, saying that while they are "moaning and groaning in Congress because [the President] didn't abide by what's called the FISA Act, the [[w:Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act|Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]]," the act was no longer applicable to current conflicts.

On [[Iraq War|the war]] in [[Iraq]], Hatch was even more disdainful of the critics. He said that the United States stopped a mass murderer in [[Saddam Hussein]] and that nobody denies that Saddam Hussein was supporting [[al-Qaeda]], adding "Well, I shouldn't say nobody. Nobody with brains."

Notably, the bi-partisan [[w:National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States|9/11 Commision]] charged with investigating issues related to the [[9/11|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]] did not find an operational link between al-Qaeda's 9-11 attack and ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Senator Hatch is expected to run for reelection for his 6th term in November 2006.  His challengers include State House Majority Whip [[w:Steve Urquhart|Steve Urquhart]] (R) and [[w:Pete Ashdown|Pete Ashdown]] (D).

==Related news==
* {{Wikinews|title=American Bar Association denounced President Bush's warrantless domestic surveillance program|date=February 19, 2006}}
* {{Wikinews|title=President Bush defends NSA domestic intercepts|date=December 19, 2005}}
* {{Wikinews|title=President Bush of the United States authorized NSA surveillance of citizens, bypassing court warrants|date=December 16, 2005}}
* {{Wikinews|title=Orrin Hatch accidentally compares Iraq to Vietnam|date=December 1, 2005}}

==Sources==

*{{source|url=http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060219/NEWS01/602190310/1002
|title=Hatch defends Bush's domestic surveillance|author=Steve Kiggins|pub=The Spectrum|date=February 19, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3917703.stm|title=9/11 report: Key findings|author=|pub=BBC|date=July 23, 2004}}
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47812-2004Jun16.html|title=Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed|author=Walter Pincus and Dana Milban|pub=The Washington Post|date= June 17, 2004}}

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[[Category:Utah]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Iraq War]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Saddam Hussein]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:US War on Terror]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States)]]
At a private luncheon in his home state of Utah, Republican U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch delivered some strong words for critics of President Bush's domestic surveillance program and war on terrorism.

Speaking to a few dozen political and business leaders, Hatch defended the President's surveillance actions: "I have to tell you, this president has guts and he deserves your support."  He reserved specific criticism for his fellow Congress leaders, saying that while they are "moaning and groaning in Congress because the President didn't abide by what's called the FISA Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," the act was no longer applicable to current conflicts.

On the war in Iraq, Hatch was even more disdainful of the critics. He said that the United States stopped a mass murderer in Saddam Hussein and that nobody denies that Saddam Hussein was supporting al-Qaeda, adding "Well, I shouldn't say nobody. Nobody with brains."

Notably, the bi-partisan 9/11 Commision charged with investigating issues related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks did not find an operational link between al-Qaeda's 9-11 attack and ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Senator Hatch is expected to run for reelection for his 6th term in November 2006.  His challengers include State House Majority Whip Steve Urquhart (R) and Pete Ashdown (D).
Utah United States North America Iraq Iraq War George W. Bush Saddam Hussein Politics and conflicts US War on Terror Republican Party (United States)