You should really read these two Ars Technica posts about the possible technology behind this wiretapping. Like many people who don’t really understand technology, the Bush administration assumes that it’s a panacea and much more effective than human beings. I really do think it’s important for non technical people to understand the technology and what it is and isn’t capable of and the collateral damage it might inflict along the way. Not to make people fear technology, but to know its limits and to use it appropriately.