Secret surveillance news you can use

The Left Coaster has the best overview of the day's secret surveillance news, including links to this NYT story on how the NSA flooded the FBI with thousands of telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and names garnered through their secret surveillance, causing a backlog for the investigators and engendering an atmosphere of frustration when none of the leads panned out. In fact, what little useful info they did gain from the hundreds of thousands of man hours and tax dollars spent in this wild goose chases, was already available through other intelligence channels.

On a related note, the ACLU along with a few other private citizens and advocacy organizations and the Center for Constitutional Rights have filed lawsuits challenging the program, calling it illegal and unconstitutional. Notably, Christopher Hitchens, perhaps ruing for a moment having gone over to the dark side, has joined in the ACLU's suit. Actually Hitchens probably just sees an opportunity for some public attention. He's waffled from one side to the other so much it seems clear he doesn't do anything on principle anymore but nonetheless, if even this turncoat for hire is feeling violated and exposed enough to join the suit, it suggests his new friends on the right ought to take it more seriously.

On the other hand, I know it's mean and petty but I hope the pompous SOB finds out he wasn't considered important enough to have been put under surveillance. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see the program being tested in the courts and I hope they manage to get it shut down.