NSA-square by Wikipedia
Seal of the National Security Agency
"Everybody does it".
That's the all too simple refrain from many people about the implications coming from the continuing revelations of NSA snooping revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
We haven't quite learned the entire breath of the NSA's worldwide interception of electronic communications but the latest had the "agency" monitoring the cell phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. When the monitoring was confirmed by her security staff she phoned President Obama directly and reacted furiously over the NSA's monitoring of her cell phone. According to a White House spokesman, the president assured Merkel "her phone will not be monitored."
The "will not" is quite revealing as it alludes to nothing of what the NSA has monitored in the past. Also Merkel got the stock response, "We're examining our intelligence practices and seeking to balance security and privacy imperatives". That's the same response given to French President Francois Hollande last week who also was infuriated to learn millions of French citizens had their cell phone communications intercepted by the NSA. He too phoned Obama directly "insisting on a full explanation" but apparently received the same response given to Merkel.
Now it's hard to fathom the idea that the President of the United States is not fully informed and made aware of what the NSA has been doing with the White House offering the lame excuse "We're reviewing our intelligence practices-- blah, blah, blah.
Who believes this nonsense? Certainly not the heads of states whose cell phones have been monitored by the NSA.
With the EU leaders coming together next week for an economic summit it's a sure bet the NSA's monitoring tactics in Europe will top their agenda.
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