Release the Surrogates Now!

Now, the Democrats must move away from their flawed policy of capitulation to the Republicans and the Bush administration. The American people you need to reach and persuade want a leader who demonstrates the ability to fight back and be in control, and in the forefront putting the opposition on the defensive and keeping them there. Policy must be firm, sharp, crisp, understandable and hard hitting. The presentation cannot contain equivocation and the campaign cannot be the place to negotiate one's positions. The points can only be made by consistency over and over and over and over and over again!

The war in Iraq has become an example in that the Obama approaches are being adopted by Bush, especially withdrawal on a timeline and a date certain. The war in Afghanistan and its dire state is an Obama revealed priority now being claimed by McCain/Bush. McCain claims to support the troops but his statements and votes in the Senate do not. These points must be made clearly for all Americans to know . Obama must take credit. Unleash the surrogates!

Concerns with the issue of proliferation of nuclear weapons Obama called for negotiation. Despite criticizing Obama internationally as an appeaser Bush has negotiated with North Korea and has started with Iran. McCain/Bush takes the credit that belongs to Obama. McCain has publically call Obama a traitor who would "rather lose a war..." and then said he didn't question his patriotism. The traitor accusations require McCain to be held accountable for his lies. Unleash the surrogates!

McCain/Bush is fomenting a conflict with Russia and America’s positions in the world are impotent and compromised by the past actions of the Bush administration. McCain/Bush is destroying our military strength and McCain has even suggested reinstating the draft. This needs to be shouted repeatedly from the roof tops so all can hear. The young and their parents will flock to Obama.

The American economy is a shambles. This is due to the reckless economic policies of Bush/McCain. This Mantra must be heard constantly from now until the election in November. McCain will destroy women's rights that have been fought for all of these years. The McCain heath policy is bankrupt. The list goes on and on. Unleash the surrogates with marching order to spread the truth mantra style.

The Obama campaign needs to immediately unleash their surrogates with short, firm, truthful messages to use and be inserted into every communication and conversation. The Bush campaign in 2004 did this with everyone ordered to use "flip-flopper" with every contact. It worked. "McCain is Bush" is a great mantra message. Release the Obama surrogates to do their job of getting him elected!

Smears and lies will be coming Obama's way that you can't even image at this time. Be prepared with the aggressive prevention approaches and the rapid response approaches that will be required. Release the surrogates now!

Problem Solving, Communication, Education and
Prevention Strategies Consulting - Dr. Saul B. Wilen

Posted at August 26, 2008 5:22 PM in response to Obama Campaign Developing Aggressive But Low-Key Counterattack To Swift-Boating

Obama Cannot Afford to Trade Change, Hope and Truth for Political Expedience

Mr. Obama,

I was drawn to your presidential candidacy because of your consistent message of change, hope and truth during the long primary campaign. This message was what energized both old progressives, independents and new, young, previously uninvolved constituencies who made it possible for you to secure the Democratic Party nomination. No sooner had this remarkable result occurred, changes seemed to appear in the successful strategy which had been based on your good instincts. You have appeared to move away from believing in the original message. The strategies of the old political hacks that doomed the candidacies of Dukakis, Gore and Kerry seem to be creeping into your campaign. These advisors will try to convince you to move away from the base that brought you to this nomination. They will try to convince you that this base will continue to support you because they have nowhere else to go. Well, Mr. Obama this is not the truth. Your base is fragile, particularly the newly energized young, and they are easily disappointed and will become unforgiving. They will abandon you to return to their cynical hiding places if you allow this to happen. Great leaders offer leadership based on deeds, not solely words. You run the risk of recreating the loss of the activism by those you have energized, as well as the potential activism of their children for political generations to come.

Independent thinkers value your goals of change, hope and truth. Reagan Democrats and Eisenhower Republicans (often neglected) are more likely to respond to your basic values of change, hope and truth. Those on the right whom you appear to now be courting will reject your overtures and prefer McCain. The right has succeeded in causing McCain to pander to their positions. You are not the candidate for the conservatives, the fundamentalists and for most Republicans. They have too much to fear from you. Most of mainstream America will come to realize that you provide the best possibility to work on solving the crises that exist including the economy, the Iraq war as the diversion that it is from the need to focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan, reversing the efforts by the present administration to subvert America’s Constitution, democracy, and the rule of law, and the needs for appropriate health care, education and other domestic reforms. What you must do is be consistent in your message.

You still have time to repair the damage in two primary ways. First, the FISA spying law is your most immediate opportunity. The Democrats and you, Mr. Obama seem to believe that the passage of the present FISA bill will put an end to this issue and its national security ramifications for this campaign. I believe that you are deluding yourselves. You seem to believe that this bill is the best compromise. However, there cannot be a compromise when it comes to unlawful and destructive actions aimed at the integrity of our Constitution. A true patriot must stand up for this democracy. This administration and the Republicans will not. They will however, bring this spying issue up several more times in Congress to even further expand the immunity by dropping criminal liabilities for the telecoms and the administration, grab even more secret and unlawful powers to accomplish their long standing goals that actually started before 911, and further embarrass and pressure the political positions of you and other Democrats by fear mongering with the national security issue in the headlines through public battles over further legislation. Unless you, Mr. Obama take whatever political hit is necessary now (even if the FISA bill passes without your vote) you must definitively say “no” now to any further changes. Otherwise your present position guarantees the intent of the Republicans and Bush, and plays into the hands of the McCain campaign. You must stand firmly against these illegal assaults on the Constitution.

Second, the War in Iraq is you next opportunity. Iraq is and has always been all about oil. The Republicans and this administration continue talking about “winning in Iraq.” They refuse to define winning because it is elusive and indefinable. Their intent in “winning” is control over Iraqi oil and to accomplish this America must keep 100,000 troops there for 100 years. Winning for America in Iraq actually means getting out of Iraq as soon as possible; now with a careful and deliberate withdrawal plan. This is what you must stand up for without equivocation.

McCain and the Republicans cannot win this election based on what they have to offer America. However, this is the election for you and the Democrats to lose. Your election will reverse a forty year Republican effort to reshape America into the Nixon-Reagan Rove-guided Permanent Republican Majority and they will do everything to prevent your election. The media will be less than supportive, so you must be smart in how you deal with the facts. You must use your surrogates wisely and rapidly in responding forcefully and truthfully to Republican smears, distortions and mistruths. Don’t help them accomplish their goals by becoming the lesser of two evils.

Dr. Saul B. Wilen
Executive Educational Consultant
International Horizons Unlimited
problem solving through education
and prevention strategies
P.O. Box 161112
Austin, Texas 78716-1112
(210) 363-4329 Mobile
FAX (512) 992-2113
SBW@intlhorizons.com
WWW.intlhorizons.com

Posted at July 11, 2008 10:32 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

Senators Feingold and Dodd opposed and voted agains the new FISA law. However, neither of them despite strongly opposing its passage as a major assault on the Constitution,used their ability to filibuster the bill which they could have done. Neither of them has been asked to justify their behavior.

Posted at July 11, 2008 10:28 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

WARNING: AMERICA REMAINS IN DANGER FROM THE BUSH SPYING LAW
BUSH MOTIVATIONS FOR THE NEW BUSH SPYING LAW
BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS WILL AGAIN WAGE THE
BATTLE TO INSTITUE THE PROVISIONS OF THE
SENATE SPYING BILL
BUSH MUST NEGATE THE ROLE OF THE COURTS TO
KEEP HIS ILLEGAL SPYING ACTIONS SECRET AND
PREVENT HIS CRIMINAL LIABILITY FROM SURFACING

Saul B. Wilen

DO NOT BE FOOLED. THE VERY BAD NEW BUSH SPYING LAW IS COMING TO AMERICA VERY QUICKLY. EFFORTS TO PREVENT THIS MUST CONTINUE AND BE INCREASED. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MUST CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS OF THESE EFFORTS. ALL AMERICANS WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM MUST CONTINUE TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED.

The BUSH MOTOVATIONS for the NEWEST SPYING LAW are DISHONORABLE. They are based on the fact that the Bush administration continues to fear actions taken by the Courts. Efforts by this administration to actively control the Federal Courts through manipulation of the Senate confirmation process is systematically underway. The packing of these Courts with activist, conservative/Republican, loyalist Judges with lifetime appointments is the goal. The political control of the Department of Justice is firmly in place to primarily protect the interests of Bush and his administration at the expense of the best interests and legal rights of Americans and America. Bush no long fears the role of the Congress, which has been effectively marginalized over the past seven years. Congress is now being readily manipulated with fear-mongering by Bush.

The Bush motivations for this new spying law are basic and include: removing the Courts from their Constitutional role of deciding FAULT through Congressional legislation intervention as in the case of the illegal actions retroactively taken by the telecommunications companies so that these facts can be prevented from surfacing during the judicial process; preventing any accountability and liability by Bush and the Bush administration by maintaining secrecy and creating a statute long enough (six years) to prevent investigation, measures or proceeding from ever being taken; and allowing for uncontrolled spying on Americans for political and other self-serving purposes as desired.

A bad Bush spying law enacted in August 2007 was FORCED TO PASSAGE BY BUSH COERSION of Congress based on fear-mongering and deliberately false statements about an active terrorist threat (later withdrawn), is now set to expire on 2/16/08. This bad law expanded the Bush spying powers. Rejection by vote of House Republicans and Democrats on 2/13/08 to extend it for three weeks to work out a resolution and the subsequent adjournment on 2/14/08 for 10 days without consideration of the House “Restore Act” should result in a return to the original FISA law for the moment, which Bush and the telecommunications companies had been illegally violating prior to 8/07. IT IS FULLY EXPECTED THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE THEIR ILLEGAL AND EVEN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES under the returned FISA law. THE HOUSE “RESTORE ACT” CONTRARTY TO POPULAR BELIEF IS STILL ALIVE AND ITS CONSIDERATION HAS ONLY BEEN POSTPONED. Speaker Pelosi stated she believed that the differences with the Senate/Bush spying bill could be resolved. This can only mean that a compromise resulting in the WORST FOR AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUTION WILL OCCUR. Pelosi has instructed the chairmen of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to work with those in the Senate in producing a compromise.

With the return to the previous FISA law WHICH ACCORDING TO INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ADEQUATE, A NEW LAW CONTINUES TO BE IN THE WORKS. THIS NEW LAW IS WORSE THAN THE BAD 8/07 LAW THAT MAY EXPIRE. It is embodied in the “Domestic Spying Bill” passed by the Senate on 2/12/08 and this contrary to popular belief REMAINS ALIVE. The Senate version of a NEW SPYING LAW IS WORSE for everything America represents. By legalizing expanded warrantless spying on Americans, granting retroactive immunity for the illegal actions by the telecommunications companies, removing any accountability by the Bush administration and abolish any liability for the illegal and even criminal actions taken by the Bush Administration through its six year permanence, the Senate is guaranteeing that the Bush illegal spying programs will never be investigated.

The “Domestic Spying Bill” enacted by the Senate gives illegal and even criminal actions taken by the Bush administration approval, totally eliminates accountability, further limits the doctrine of the rule of law, enhances the mounting irrelevance of Congress, ties the hands of the next administration and Congress, removes the constitutional role of the courts to decide the legality of actions, continues the destruction of America's democracy and Constitution, and brings America one step closer to a DICTATORSHIP.

With the discovery of the Watergate crimes and decades of surveillance abuses, the Congress acted on a bipartisan basis to put safeguards in place to guarantee that even America’s highest political officials must comply with the law and can only exercise eavesdropping powers with real safeguards. Today complying with the law by America’s officials is questionable at best. However, the House “Restore Act” tries to adhere to that doctrine. The SENATE BILL that has passed UNDERMINES THE RULE OF LAW AND ENDANGERS AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY. THIS CANNOT BE PERMITTED. Democratic members of the House must stand firm behind the bill they passed and not capitulate once again to the fear-mongering, bullying and manipulative demands of the Bush administration for ever-greater unchecked powers, as embodied in the Senate bill including blanket warrantless eavesdropping, the immunity provisions for telecommunications companies and the six year longevity that eliminates accountability of the Bush administration and investigation of the criminal liabilities by the Bush administration.

The House “Restore Act” previously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives IS STILL ALIVE AND IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE SENATE BILL. It provides some more safeguards on the Bush spying powers while providing Bush with more than enough necessary surveillance powers. It continues the idea that the legality of the President's spying programs should be decided in a court of law. It continues the important required balance that has existed for decades between the rights of Americans and allowing for surveillance to provide security for America. This balance will be lost should the Senate version become the law. Bush wants to eliminate this balance, these safeguards and vital American rights.
In the face of seven years of lies, self-serving and failed policies, and actions putting the interests of the wealthy, corporations and the few in power above all other Americans, Bush wants America to believe that his interest is the security of America and that he will not abuse these spying powers. AGAIN, THE MOST RECENT BUSH ACTIONS PROVE THAT HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED. THE PROPOSED 2009 FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS BY 50% (FIFTY PERCENT) THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE THE FIRST LINE OF SECURITY PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM THE TERRORISTS. THIS BUSH ACTION OF CUTTING FUNDING FOR AMERICA’S SECURITY PROVES THAT HE IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH AND THAT HE WILL ABUSE THE NEW SPYING POWERS.

There is NO DOUBT that the actions taken by the Senate will further embolden Bush to press for even greater spying powers and those being granted will be abused by Bush for political purposes. This very bad law opens the door wider for future political leaders to ABUSE POWER THROUGH UNCONTROLLED SPYING ON AMERICANS for whatever secret reasons are determined (even those that have nothing to do with the security of America such as expression of free speech, political differences, constitutional rights) and without any accountability for those actions. The past actions of the Bush administration have already proven that Bush, the Bush administration and the Republicans in Congress MUST NOT BE TRUSTED.

The Bush spying powers when they become the law will change America’s democracy and continue to gut the Constitution FOR DECADES TO COME. These powers will be ABUSED FOR POLITICAL REASONS ANE USED AGAINST AMERICANS FOR OTHER THAN SECURITY PURPOSES. Some Senate Democrats along with all of the Senate Republicans sold out America and contributed to bringing America ever closer to DICTATORSHIP.

The fledgling, grassroots STAND UP AND BE COUNTED efforts in one day delivered more than 2000 communications to Congressional Representatives and emphasized in the message that IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO CAVE INTO ADMINISTRATION FEAR-MONGERING AND POLITICAL PRESSURE, AND BY ENACTING THE SENATE BILL THEY WOULD BE SELLING OUT AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUION. IT WAS EMPHASIZED THAT THE ABUSES COMING AT THE HANDS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WILL HARM ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN FOR FUTURE DECADES.
OUR EFFORTS MUST CONTINUE DAILY AND EXPANDED TO PREVENT THE HOUSE FROM CAVING INTO A COMPROMISE WITH THE VERY BAD FOR AMERICA SENATE “DOMESTIC SPYING BILL.”

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED

FLOOD YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES WITH PHONE CALLS, E-MAILS AND ANYTHING ELSE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO CAVE INTO ADMINISTRATION FEAR-MONGERING AND POLITICAL PRESSURE, AND THE SENATE BILL DISASTEROUS PROVISIONS THEREBY SELLING OUT AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUION. THE HOUSE MUST STAND FIRM TO KEEP THE “RESTORE ACT” PROVISIONS AS THEY PRESENTLY EXIST.

Posted at February 15, 2008 4:49 PM in response to Bush Beats Drum... Again

DHS AND THE FBI ARE TEACHING TERRORISTS NEW WAYS TO ATTACK AMERICA IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND AT HOME THROUGH THEIR POLITICAL FEAR-MONGERING EFFORTS

Saul B. Wilen

Female Suicide Bombers Can Use False Pregnancies - a story reported by MSNBC on 2/11/08

DHS and the FBI regularly oppose media reports of situations that expose security vulnerabilities in the systems that they are charged to operate in securing America. Immediate considerations just to mention a few, are the holes in airport security, the lack of regulation of chemical plants and the absence of adequate communication systems among first responders all still promised by the Bush administration since 9/11, 2001. New technology to plug the airport security gaps according to the Washington Post 2/8/08 will take many more years before they are in place. Violations of the law by the FBI have been documented in their actions taken beyond those permitted by the Patriot Act. Despite assurances that these FBI abuses (illegal and probably criminal) would stop, they continue unabated. DHS responsibilities required by statute are routinely violated and DHS routine participates actively in political efforts and even deception/lies (the staged, fictitious news conference) not in the security interests of America.

The excuse given by the DHS and the FBI continues to be, exposure of these facts to the American public tells the terrorists about these security holes. DHS and the FBI have no problem spreading such information when they want to scare Americans and push Congress to pass very bad "Domestic Spying Laws" through efforts of fear-mongering. By the way, terrorists already know about women suicide bombers and the holes in airport security. Maybe by the DHS and the FBI spreading the word about mimicking pregnancy or even explosives in false breasts they are actually teaching the terrorists how to better attack America.

The DHS and the FBI are the culprits aiding the terrorists in spreading these ideas in their political use of the media as a fear-mongering tool. But, the real problem is evident in the fine print of the new 2009 BUSH BUDGET, which cuts the DHS funding for first responders in the United States by 50%. What will happen to the presently inadequate airport security with the funding drying up? Obviously it’s the Bush White House and Bush himself who DO NOT SUPPORT THE SECURITY of AMERICA AGAINST TERRORISM.

Posted at February 13, 2008 4:29 PM in response to The Daily Muck

BUSH SPYING POWERS WILL BE ABUSED

Saul B. Wilen

The “Domestic Spying Bill” passed by the Senate on 2/12/08 was very bad for everything America represents. By legalizing warrantless spying on Americans, granting retroactive immunity for the illegal actions by the telecommunications companies and removing any accountability by the Bush administration by eliminating any liability for the illegal and even criminal actions taken, the Senate is guaranteeing that the Bush illegal spying programs are never investigated. There is no doubt that the actions taken by the Senate will further embolden Bush to press for even greater spying powers and those being granted will be abused by Bush for political purposes. This very bad law opens the door wider for future political leaders to abuse power through uncontrolled spying on Americans for whatever secret reasons are determined (even those that have nothing to do with the security of America such as expression of free speech, political differences, constitutional rights) and without any accountability for those actions. The past actions of the Bush administration have already proven that Bush, the Bush administration and the Republicans in Congress MUST NOT BE TRUSTED.

The “Domestic Spying Bill” enacted by the Senate gives illegal and even criminal actions taken by the Bush administration approval, totally eliminates accountability, further limits the doctrine of the rule of law, enhances the mounting irrelevance of Congress, ties the hands of the next administration and Congress, removes the constitutional role of the courts to decide the legality of actions, continues the destruction of America's democracy and Constitution, and brings America one step closer to a DICTATORSHIP.

The “Restore Act” already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is better. It provides some more safeguards on the Bush spying powers while providing Bush with more than enough necessary surveillance powers. It continues the idea that the legality of the President's spying programs should be decided in a court of law. It continues the important required balance that has existed for decades between the rights of Americans and allowing for surveillance to provide security for America. This balance will be lost should the Senate version become the law. Bush wants to eliminate this balance, these safeguards and vital American rights.
In the face of seven years of lies, self-serving and failed policies, and actions putting the interests of the wealthy, corporations and the few in power above all other Americans, Bush wants America to believe that his interest is the security of America and that he will not abuse these spying powers. AGAIN, THE MOST RECENT BUSH ACTIONS PROVE THAT HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED. THE PROPOSED 2009 FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS BY 50% (FIFTY PERCENT) THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE THE FIRST LINE OF SECURITY PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM THE TERRORISTS. THIS BUSH ACTION OF CUTTING FUNDING FOR AMERICA’S SECURITY PROVES THAT HE IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH AND THAT HE WILL ABUSE THE NEW SPYING POWERS.

FLOOD YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE WITH PHONE CALLS, E-MAILS AND ANYTHING ELSE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO CAVE INTO ADMINISTRATION FEAR-MONGERING AND POLITICAL PRESSURE THERBY SELLING OUT AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUION. THE ABUSES COMING WILL HARM ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANCHILDREN FOR FUTURE DECADES.

Posted at February 13, 2008 4:13 PM in response to Bush: Dem Effort to Extend Surveillance Law That Must Not Lapse Is Unacceptable

NO CONFIRMATION OF BRADBURY OR ANY OTHER NOMINEE BY THIS UNETHICAL, IMMORAL, ILLEGAL AND EVEN CRIMINAL PRESIDENT AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THE REST OF ITS TERM. It's a waste of time and effort by the Democrats, Senate committees and Reid to engage in this process being made a sham of by the Bush administration. These nominees go before Senate committees and lie as was obvious from Mukasey's confirmation hearings. There was no intent to change the Justice Department and if you remove the wrinkled face mask on Mukasey you'll find Alberto Gonzales just below the surface.

The Republicans have no interest in working with the Democrats for the good of America. Reid, stop trying to work with those who are only interested in theselves and those few in economic power. Use you procedural tools to stop the bad ACTIONS, the VERY BAD "Domestic Spying Law" - LET IT DIE EVEN IF IT REQUIRES A DEMOCRATIC FILIBUSTER TO MAKE IT EXPIRE, and CHANGE the presently bad economic stimulus package to include what is necessary for the most vulnerable Americans. THE DEMOCRATS ARE IN THE POSITION OF STRENGTH, USE IT! Checks can't go out until May. APPLY THE PRESSURE. FORCE Bush to Veto over and over again and FORCE the Republicans to filibuster over and over again. Make them stand up as the BAD guys that they actually are and FORCE rollcall votes to document each of their individual actions! IT IS NO LONGER THE TIME TO BE KIND. IT IS THE TIME TO SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHERE THESE REPUBLICANS STAND SO THOSE UP FOR ELECTIONS CAN BE DEFEATED.

Posted at February 7, 2008 12:00 AM in response to White House Insists on Confirmation of Torture Memo Author

A veto by this president just like actions taken by Republicans in Congress have no relationship to the good of America or are they for the benefit of other than the few in power who they actually represent. America must finally put Bush into the perspective that he deserves: SELF-SERVING, INTENT ON MAKING HIS WAY PERMANENT, MAKING HIS MARK THROUGH DAMAGING AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMICALLY ENRICHING HIS INNER CIRCLE.

This very bad "Domestic Spying Law" needs to be stopped! It doen't matter if that happens due to Republican obstruction and/or a Bush veto. AG Mukasey and NSA Dir. Mcconell both proven to be less than truthful sources, are pushing the fearmongering. Democrats need do the right thing and let this law die even if they have to fibibuster it until the new extension expires.

America needs a surveillance law that balances the rights of the American people with the needs for American security. This law does not accomplish this end. Let it die at the hands of Bush and the hypocritical Republicans who don't speak or act truthfully, and function from self-interest and not in the best interests of the American people. Senator Reid still seems to believe that he can negotiate with those who have no interest in preserving America's democracy and Constitution. By pusuing his approach Reid will ultimately sell out America.

Posted by

Posted at February 5, 2008 7:35 PM in response to Bush: I Will Veto Any Surveillance Bill That Doesn't Protect Telecoms