The government shows up at your office just days after the 9/11 attack and asks for your help in the war on terror. What are you going to do? According to Glenn Greenwald, you should call a lawyer (isn’t that always what the lawyers say). But telecom executives did the only thing they could do–assist the government in whatever way possible. I doubt any of them even had a moment of doubt in complying with the government’s request–worst case, the NSA captures a call from some innocent, naturalized American talking to his al Qaeda-affiliated cousin in Paktia, not exactly an ethical minefield. But the industry now faces as much as $7.243 trillion in liability, as practically every telephone customer in North America is to be considered a victim of this dastardly operation. After months of demagoguing the issue, the Dems in Congress are finally going to cave and grant the firms immunity from lawsuits that are not only frivolous, but a threat to national security. Meanwhile, Glenn Greenwald, who’s devoted the last three months of his life to this issue, is despondent:
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