POWELL: OUT OF THE LOOP

Powell supports government eavesdropping

Dec 26, 6:37 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday supported government eavesdropping to prevent terrorism but said a major controversy over presidential powers could have been avoided by obtaining court warrants.

Powell said that when he was in the Cabinet, he was not told that President Bush authorized a warrantless National Security Agency surveillance operation after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

He wasn't told about it but he thinks it's OK. Does he have any idea what's involved? Probably not.