I was an Obama supporter because Bush was an idiot who started a huge war and ruined the US economy. Now I have lost faith in Obama, because he is listening in on the world, and on another subject the drone attacks are war crimes.
All the countries able to spy do spy and always have. Friend or foe, countries spy and are spied on. That Germany is swooning about it isn't unusual because leaders have to do a certain amount of posturing to appease their citizens' indignation (being insulted). The US's spying on Germany, just like Germany's spying on the US, is mostly a nosy kind of thing where each country wants to know what's happening behind closed doors in the other country. It's like when your parents might go into a room and close the door because they need to discuss what they are getting you for your birthday. You know what they're doing but you want to know the details so you quietly sneak up to the door and put your ear against it.
This international busy-body-ness isn't at all like the domestic spying allowed under the Patriot Act. Not even close.
Every country spies on all other countries. ALL of them! There are no 'spy free countries'. Getting caught is always bad PR and everyone gets all upset an angry when spying is revealed. People act as if they're 'shocked'! 'Shocked'! In a week the story loses traction and in two weeks it's history. Every country maintains a counter spy organization. When a 'spy' gains access to a country's 'secrets' the counter spies get a lecture... or they get shot depending on the country. When a spying operation gets busted the guys who put the operation together get a serious lecture... or they get shot depending on the country. A spy or a counter spy's life is not a happy one!
I would like to know if this was not industrial espionage which is a far worse crime. US corporations acquiring data about Europeans although I am sure the libertarians would say all is fair and competitive. However I know of one sinister case in which the US was involved in spying on the entire Greek government, politics and corporates. Who knows if the US does it to other countries like maybe Japan or Mexico but allowing that level surveillance on a society is extremely damaging and even libertarians would see it for what it is Cronyism.
Here is case in Greece.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_wiret...
The US spying on its own allies. One can only imagine what they do to their enemies. Well I suppose that torture chamber in Egypt had to be part of someone's intelligence gathering exorcise.
Actually, a lot of people were upset with the patriot act even before it was signed.
Did you know the vast majority of congress and senate representatives didn't even read the act before signing it?
So, I find it rather hypocritical that they're upset now,years later, and only because their voters are.
May be wants a recipe for cookies
While I am NOT taking sides, and I don't know whether these allegations are even true...
Why was it A-okay when BUSH did similar under the former patriot act, but when Obama (supposedly) does it, it's suddenly evil, a horror, cruel, nasty, etc.???
What could Obama possibly want w/ Merkel's girl talks, anyhow?????
