They're hiding something BIG. Very BIG

Glenn Greenwald's dissection of the form of language used by Alberto Gonzales during questioning in the US Senate is starting to shed a light on the existence of "other intelligence activities" which have been hidden from view during the various congressional investigations into Bush's warrantless wiretapping program.

Ever since George Bush came right out in December, 2005 and admitted spying on Americans without the warrants required by law, the administration has been playing the same rhetorical game. From the beginning, when asked questions about the scope of their spying activities (are you eavesdropping on domestic calls, too? opening mail with no warrants? entering homes with no warrants?), they have carefully confined their denials to "the specific program which the President confirmed" -- i.e., the specific "Terrorist Surveillance Program the NYT revealed. They have always made clear that there are "other intelligence programs" that we do not know about and which are excluded from all of their public assurances.

And further:

It has been clear for a long time that there are "other intelligence activities" beyond the "Terrorist Surveillance Program" which are clearly illegal. And any doubt about that was dispelled entirely when James Comey testified, since his whole point was that whatever it was that they were doing prior to March of 2004 to spy on Americans was so illegal that he, John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller all threatened to quit if it continued.

It would stand to reason that when the New York Times discovered and then reported the NSA warrantless wiretap program, that journal only got a part of the whole story. The result was that the Bush administration, feigning outrage at the disclosure, was prepared to throw a bone to the hungry pack, secure in the knowledge that the worst of the administration's unconstitutional activities had escaped scrutiny.

Securing information and preventing any public disclosure of those "other intelligence activities" became a paramount consideration. The reason for hiding the information could have little to do with current national security requirements. Remember, Comey, Ashcroft and Mueller were going to quit if it continued. That they stayed on indicates that, whatever the Bush administration was doing, it stopped in March of 2004. The only reason then, to hide it is to prevent a sea of outrage over administration activities which were undoubtedly grossly illegal.

The need to tightly secure the information might also explain other recent events.

Bush refusing to allow aides to testify before Congress, claiming Executive Privilege, then refusing to allow Congress to have a US attorney bring contempt of congress charges against those called to testify. Once before Congress witness either testify honestly or risk being charged with perjury. The Bush administration cannot afford to have questions on those "other intelligence activities" asked at all.

The refusal by the Bush administration to allow access to a member of the Homeland Security Committee to classified portions of information relating to the operation of government after a terrorist attack. There is likely a reference, amongst all those classified documents, to programs and plans which either exist or could be executed quickly.

Finally, there is Bush making renewed, constant and steady references to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden in recent speeches. Certainly there is a fear that information regarding any illegal program will eventually leak, and Bush needs to have al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden well planted in peoples' minds as a means to defend any illegal activities.

What is starting to come clear, in any case, is that Bush's assault on the US Constitution is probably far more extensive than just the warrentless wiretap program.

He didn't just ignore it; he left it in shreds.