Update:
New York Times - Pentagon Plans a Computer System That Would Peek at Personal Data of Americans
The Pentagon is constructing a computer system that could create a vast electronic dragnet, searching for personal information as part of the hunt for terrorists around the globe — including the United States.  As the director of the effort, Vice Adm. John M. Poindexter, has described the system in Pentagon documents and in speeches, it will provide intelligence analysts and law enforcement officials with instant access to information from Internet mail and calling records to credit card and banking transactions and travel documents, without a search warrant.   More

Who's John Poindexter? 
A retired Navy Admiral, John Poindexter lost his job as National Security Adviser under Ronald Reagan, and was convicted of conspiracy, lying to Congress, defrauding the government, and destroying evidence in the Iran Contra scandal. [1]  

Why is a person convicted of those crimes being hired for such an important government post?
The convictions were overturned in 1990, based on the fact that Congress had given him immunity in exchange for his testimony, even though the testimony he gave Congress turned out to not be true.

Why did John Poindexter get the job?
He was the Vice President of Syntek Technologies, a government contractor.  Syntek and Poindexter worked for years with DARPA to develop Genoa, a surveillance device that's a combination cutting-edge search engine, sophisticated information harvesting program", and a "peer-to-peer" file sharing system.  Kind of a military-grade Google/Napster for use in instant analysis of electronic data. [3]

What was Iran-Contra all about?
Iran was holding American hostages.  President Reagan said we would not negotiate with terrorists.  At the same time, the CIA wanted to support a rebel army in the overthrow of the Nicaraguan government.  Congress said no.		So John Poindexter, along with Oliver North and many others, went behind President Reagan's back (supposedly) and sold weapons to the Iranians (illegally), then took the money they made and funneled it to the brutal "Contra" army that they built in Central America (also illegally). See [1]
Video clip of John Poindexter taking the Fifth Amendment before Congress  From the CNN Video Almanac QuickTime 1.4M Read some of the Ollie North / John Poindexter emails that they unsuccessfully tried to destroy From CNN Interactive John Poindexter isn't the only Iran-Contra conspirator to be appointed to a high-level position. Click here to read about more Iran-Contra alumnus who now hold top government posts.

Why didn't I hear about his appointment on the news? Very few newspapers and virtually no TV stations announced Poindexter's appointment.  Apparently they didn't consider it "newsworthy". Something seems fishy; what can I do? Contact your lawmakers and tell them how you feel about the appointment of John Poindexter.  Ask the media, too, to give more coverage to this and other appointments.   Contact your lawmakers Contact the media Visit the Total Information Awareness Resource Center Find out more Watch COVERUP Behind the Iran-Contra Affair Read Dark Alliance The Cia, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion