Us Spying On World Leaders

[jake-the-peg]

More Snowdon revalations have shown the NSA to have been tapping the phones of 35 World Leaders including France and Germany

This in the middle of negotiations to form the world's largest free-trade area between the US and the EU

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24668286

Is this sufficiently important to justify Snowdon's release of information to you? - if not what would?

How can the US restablish trust with the rest of the world leaders now?

[Sqad]

They are just allegations at the moment, but let us say that they are true.

US with the agreement of most countries in Europe have taken the role of " the policeman of the world"

As such, it is fine with me, that all intelligence and counter intelligence, concerning terrorism or the likes, is monitored in whatever way necessary.

[jake-the-peg]

And how is bugging Chancellor Merkel's phone keeping the world safe from terrorism?

Precisely?

[Sqad]

No idea Jake, I haven't listened in.

[jake-the-peg]

:c)

Seriously though this bears all the hallmarks of the sort of commercial espionage the Chinese are so notorious for.

[Gromit]

// US with the agreement of most countries in Europe have taken the role of "the policeman of the world" //

Rubbish. Most countries in Europe have been against US warmongering.

The 35 world leaders are 'upset' be it could hardly come as a surprise to them. I am sure any 'sensitive' communication was not done on their Crapberrys.

[youngmafbog]

Bit rich the Germans complaining about spying.

Two world wars Jake, I would hope the intelligence agencies are keeping an eye on them even if they are achieving by stealth what they failed by war- so far.

As Gromit says, can't imagine anything really sensitive would have been easily bugged.


Gromit
// US with the agreement of most countries in Europe have taken the role of "the policeman of the world" //

Rubbish. Most countries in Europe have been against US warmongering.
//

Being a Policeman is not just warmongering though is it?

to answer your question Jake, no I dont see anything(yet) to justify Snowden putting loads of people at risk for self gratification.

[emmie]

do we bug other countries politicians, i wonder ?

[emmie]

long but interesting reading

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/surveillance-for-all-foreign-governments-responses-to-the-prism-scandal-are-enlightening

[Sqad]

Gromit

\\\Rubbish. Most countries in Europe have been against US warmongering. \\\

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_Operation_Enduring_Freedom

Well i won't bother with Iraq and Kuwait...etc.......but although as you say most countries were against "warmongering,"...they certainly gave it some support.

[emmie]

many countries do go to war without the input of the US, have a look at the current round of killings, Syria is just one, as is Egypt. So warmongering not prevalent in these cases, unless someone decides to send in the troops to either country, which i sincerely hope they don't.

[Svejk]

Shock horror. Spies are spying.

[emmie]

not shocking is it, that is the point, everyone seems to do it, i expect that our politicians are spied on by other governments, it seems it's all part of the game...

[Davethedog]

I find it strange that people are incredulous about this, for years the CIA/NSA have "openly" interfered in the matters of African and South American countries to the point of financing insurrection and the over throw of democratically elected governments, so why should Europe be any different?

America in its every pronouncement makes it obvious that they think they are better (superiour) than anyone else, no matter who’s in government. Despite allowing its own “democracy” to be overthrown, by vested interests, and its proclamation that it’s the Land of the free, to be laughed at by every other nation on earth.

It’s not going to get any better, how many people can see what you put in the cloud? Not only that we will end up paying for it.

[Kromovaracun]

I find it bizarre how people are just fine with this. I find it even more bizarre that ymb justifies this with some kind of paranoid conspiracy theory about creeping German expansionism,yet is quite happy to shrug off as irrelevant the agencies which actually do appear to be spying on governments and manipulating all those within its sphere of influence.

[emmie]

i am not fine with it, nor am i fine with cctv on every street corner, and in restaurants, pubs, clubs, and anywhere you can put one of these insidious monitors. Spying on your citizens whichever way you look at it, and irrespective of how many so called terrorists they can catch, or monitor.

[FredPuli43]

I'm not fine with it either; by Jove, it just ain't cricket and, well, it is not very British ! But it is hardly news that it goes on. Wouldn't be surprised if Britain does the same sort of thing, tapping the phones of important people in our allies and friends. It's an open secret that everyone spies on everyone else, friendly states or not.

As to Snowden, what good has he done, given the above ?

[bazwillrun]

as if the eussr wont be doing the same, if they already arent, once theyve got their super state empire in place and everybody under their control, you think amongst all the other stasi like departments they wont have a sprawling "intelligence" section spying on its own people for starters and foreign powers

countries always have and always will spy on other countries and their own

[Kromovaracun]

What "stasi-like" departments would they be, specifically?

Don't get me wrong, I've no particular fondness (or dislike) for the EU. But they seem more incompetent/ineffectual than malevolent to me.

[razza]

Germany and a host of other countries will be spying on the U.S. Double standards methinks.

[doctordb]

Agreed razza. Everyone is spying on everyone else.