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Iran-Contra Figure Returns as Big Brother?

Aired November 20, 2002 - 14:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Remember John Poindexter? As President Reagan's national security adviser, Poindexter was front- and-center for a little thing called the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. He was convicted of lying to Congress, though that conviction was eventually overturned, and the retired admired faded into the shadows -- until now.
Poindexter is back, and some fear his new assignment will make his old one look like Sunday school.

CNN's Barbara Starr gives us chapter and verse.

You know, there are a lot of people I've talk to that are talking about his revival.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Marty, most people probably don't know what John Poindexter is up to these days, but he's back at the Pentagon. And today, the Pentagon had to come out swinging, defending the program he is working on.

What Admiral Poindexter is working on is an increasingly controversial research program to see if it is possible to surf through massive databases -- massive computer databases to look for patterns of activity that may indicate terrorists are at work. This is a $10 million research program being run by an arm of the Pentagon. They're trying to develop the means to search through computer databases to look at all types of transactions -- things like passports, visas, credit card purchases, bank records, gun purchases and purchases of hazardous material.

Now, the Pentagon insists this program -- which is known as Total Information Awareness, or TAI -- will be done strictly within the law. And that eventually, if it moves from becoming a research program into a real operational program, the military won't even run it. But the controversy is afoot, and today, a top Pentagon official tried to defend it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARD PETE ALDRIDGE, UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It is absurd to think that DARPA is somehow trying to become another police agency. DARPA's purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of this technology. If it proves useful, TAI would then be turned over to the intelligence, counterintelligence and law enforcement communities as a tool to help them in their battle against domestic terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP) STARR: But still, Marty, perhaps the most controversial element of all of this is Admiral Poindexter's role. As people will remember, Admiral John Poindexter was President Reagan's national security adviser. He was convicted of lying to Congress in connection with the Iran-Contra scandal. Now, that conviction was later overturned.

Today, Mr. Aldridge, here at the Pentagon, said Admiral Poindexter came to the Defense Department with this whole computer research idea. He said that Admiral Poindexter had a passion for the project, but he insisted that Admiral Poindexter would not be involved in any real-world computer spying operations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALDRIDGE: What John Poindexter is doing is developing a tool. He's not exercising the tool. He will not exercise the tool. That tool will be exercised by the intelligence, counterintelligence and law enforcement agencies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But, Marty, the question that still remains at the Pentagon is not fundamentally yet ready to answer is: Why is the military involved in a program for computer spying that may eventually look at Americans' computer records for such simple things as credit card transactions -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Barbara, I know that's got a lot of people talking. I hear it all the time. Thank you very much -- live from the Pentagon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired November 20, 2002 - 14:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Remember John Poindexter? As President Reagan's national security adviser, Poindexter was front- and-center for a little thing called the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. He was convicted of lying to Congress, though that conviction was eventually overturned, and the retired admired faded into the shadows -- until now.
Poindexter is back, and some fear his new assignment will make his old one look like Sunday school.

CNN's Barbara Starr gives us chapter and verse.

You know, there are a lot of people I've talk to that are talking about his revival.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Marty, most people probably don't know what John Poindexter is up to these days, but he's back at the Pentagon. And today, the Pentagon had to come out swinging, defending the program he is working on.

What Admiral Poindexter is working on is an increasingly controversial research program to see if it is possible to surf through massive databases -- massive computer databases to look for patterns of activity that may indicate terrorists are at work. This is a $10 million research program being run by an arm of the Pentagon. They're trying to develop the means to search through computer databases to look at all types of transactions -- things like passports, visas, credit card purchases, bank records, gun purchases and purchases of hazardous material.

Now, the Pentagon insists this program -- which is known as Total Information Awareness, or TAI -- will be done strictly within the law. And that eventually, if it moves from becoming a research program into a real operational program, the military won't even run it. But the controversy is afoot, and today, a top Pentagon official tried to defend it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARD PETE ALDRIDGE, UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It is absurd to think that DARPA is somehow trying to become another police agency. DARPA's purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of this technology. If it proves useful, TAI would then be turned over to the intelligence, counterintelligence and law enforcement communities as a tool to help them in their battle against domestic terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP) STARR: But still, Marty, perhaps the most controversial element of all of this is Admiral Poindexter's role. As people will remember, Admiral John Poindexter was President Reagan's national security adviser. He was convicted of lying to Congress in connection with the Iran-Contra scandal. Now, that conviction was later overturned.

Today, Mr. Aldridge, here at the Pentagon, said Admiral Poindexter came to the Defense Department with this whole computer research idea. He said that Admiral Poindexter had a passion for the project, but he insisted that Admiral Poindexter would not be involved in any real-world computer spying operations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALDRIDGE: What John Poindexter is doing is developing a tool. He's not exercising the tool. He will not exercise the tool. That tool will be exercised by the intelligence, counterintelligence and law enforcement agencies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But, Marty, the question that still remains at the Pentagon is not fundamentally yet ready to answer is: Why is the military involved in a program for computer spying that may eventually look at Americans' computer records for such simple things as credit card transactions -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Barbara, I know that's got a lot of people talking. I hear it all the time. Thank you very much -- live from the Pentagon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.