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The Day The War On Terror Died

lionking said:
Enlighten me. And I said good reason.
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All nations spy on all other nations. Allies just use more discretion when spying on allies. Not that it makes it any less embarrassing when caught at it but it is hilarious to watch people act surprised at what goes on in the real world.
:eek:
 
Robrob said:
All nations spy on all other nations. Allies just use more discretion when spying on allies. Not that it makes it any less embarrassing when caught at it but it is hilarious to watch people act surprised at what goes on in the real world.
:eek:
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Exactly. One would think that it was only the US doing it. I'm be extremely surprised if Germany, the UK, France, and others aren't doing the exact same thing. I'd not be at all surprised if the Aust Govt is listening in on NZ politicians and vice versa too
 
Thank you for the last few responses. So no good reason apart from the paranoid belief that staunch allies might be acting in their own national interest.

Of course I know this happens. I can't excuse it though.

Yes, big deal, an anonymous internet poster unhappy. Still.....
 
Some years ago I was at a party and met the military liaison officer (unsure of exact function now) of *European country withheld*.

So, I'm talking to this guy over the drinks and dip and I decide to make some small talk.
I ask him 'so, what does a liaison officer do exactly?' he seemed a bit taken aback, but explained that he followed the general mood in the Netherlands and reported back about what's reported in the local media and stuff, plus some communication stuff with the Dutch military'.
Still in small talk-mode I started asking follow up questions and he got a bit fidgety and changed the subject.

Later a I told a friend about my encounter and he went 'Jesus, Eddie. you've asked a high-up spook what he does exactly for a living!'

What was funny, was that he seemed unprepared for some naive member of the public stupidly asking direct questions about his job. :D


I forget what his official title was, but it was bit like the famous "cultural attaché" that every Russian embassy has.
 
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Monketey Ghost said:
That's my understanding as well. It seems to me that Israel has been caught a few times spying on the US. Agents and agencies will do their thing.
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Apparently Israel also catches US spies on regular basis. But because of the relationship they don't make a big stink of it in the media.
Gotta get that political support and arms-industry-coupons.

Maybe the US also quietly whisks Israeli spies out of the country.
Pollard was a big case because he was so close to classified information and because he totally freaked out when he suspected he was being followed and drove straight to the Israeli embassy, and demanded to be let in.
Maybe they forgot to explain to him that he should STFU when caught.
 
PhantomWolf said:
Really? Not one reason at all?
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To find out if they are secretly singing "Deutschland Uber Alles"? You don't **** in your own nest, or your allies. All countries watch each other, but tapping the Chancellor's phone is a bit much. Imagine the uproar if Germany was doing that to a US Presidents own phone.
 
If US snooping found out some information through bugging Merkel's phone which would be extremely detrimental to German national interests, but extremely advantageous to US national interests, if that information was acted upon - would it be ethical for the US to use and act on that information?
 
Orphia Nay said:
Apparently the US is saying they aren't spying on Merkel now. (No mention of the past.)
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Did anyone in the White House press corps bother asking Jay Carney if spying had occurred in the past, or did they let him weasel out of that one?

ETA: I just read the press conference transcript from yesterday and someone in the press did in fact ask Carney if we had spied on the Chancellor in the past. Not surprisingly, the press secretary tap danced around the question and did not give a direct yes or no answer. As to be expected.
 
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Spindrift said:
Anyone who thinks the Germans didn't know the US is spying on them is delusional. This is all show because they got caught.
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I don't think anyone thought the US didn't spy at all on Germany.

It's the scale of it that's outrageous.
 
lionking said:
Thank you for the last few responses. So no good reason apart from the paranoid belief that staunch allies might be acting in their own national interest.

Of course I know this happens. I can't excuse it though.

Yes, big deal, an anonymous internet poster unhappy. Still.....
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You think you're anonymous? ;)
 
At which German head of state should the US have ceased attempting to spy on the German head of state?

Perhaps more interesting, at which US head of state should the UK have ceased attempting to spy on the US head of state?
 
Merkel is, after all, used to being surveilled all her life, including her time doing propaganda at the university and of course due to her father who fled to the East and had special privileges, but as important figure in the protestant christian community was never let out of sight by the Stasi. What Angela is sad about is that she is forced to take a stand.
 
This SPIEGEL article is actually worth reading. It's about Obama's sociopathic behaviour on the world scene. He's the ultimate hypocrite, while Merkel is the ultimate opportunist.
 
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