Europe is aghast at recent disclosures the United States has been spying on its citizens for more than a decade. The allegations also include assertions the NSA’s program is so vast that it includes spying on friendly governments, including friendly Heads of State.
In Berlin, Germans are furious at recent revelations the NSA’s spy programs include listening in on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s telephones and cell phones since at least 2002. While it is not clear whether then President Bush knew of, or authorized the listening, various German news outlets have alleged President Obama was aware of the Merkel intercepts since 2010.
Despite the furor from abroad, at least one key republican lawmaker has defended the practice.
Speaking today on NBC’s Meet the Press, Representative Peter King (R-NY) appeared to support the White House by saying, “We’re not doing this for the fun of it.” King, a senior member and former Chair of the House HomelandSecurity Committee suggested U.S. spying had saved many lives, including those of Germans. King, a vocal critic at times to the Obama Administration seemed to support the Administration’s position and suggested President Obama would do well if he would face critics of the program head on, without apology. King further said that, “This is to gather valuable intelligence, which helps not just us, but also helps the Europeans.”
Critics were however not amused. German Chencellor Merkel telephoned President Obama to directly express her grave concerns and has dispatched Germany’s top intelligence officials to Washington for a full accounting. According to preliminary reports, the Bush Administration may have begun spying on Merkel’s predecessor Gerhard Schröder after he opposed U.S. intervention in Iraq.
Other reports however suggest that President Obama knew of the spying on Merkel because he did not trust her and sought more information concerning her intentions. German government spokesperson Georg Streiter did not give an exact timeframe for the intelligence delegation’s trip to Washington, but he said it was being planned on “relatively short notice.”
That said, other reports have suggested that Obama apologized to Merkel and suggested that had he known about the spying he would have ordered it stopped. However, other news outlets are reporting that the spying extends to officials in at least thirty-five governments.
The NSA’s spying on friendly governments has also led Paris to question Washington’s actions. Although this story is still developing, the French Government has also summoned U.S. officials for a full accounting and at least one German member of Parliament has suggested that the activity has likely broken German law.
Government officials appear split over the extent of the program with some believing intelligence activities, although well-intentioned, are now breaking domestic and international law all for the sake of upholding it.
At issue is whether the NSA’s spy program is a necessary evil to protect the country against foreign attack, or whether the program is so out of control that is knows no bounds, and heeds no law.