What does Angela Merkel have to be riled about (and I don't think she really is - her anger was mostly for domestic consumption)? I don't care if the NSA spies on her. That's part of their job. The government should be spying on foreign heads of state - even and especially heads of state. Espionage is an excellent tool of diplomacy, as it is very useful to the diplomats to know what Merkel and those around her are saying privately about the things they say in public which interest us. They do it to us, we do it to them. It's how the world works and, done properly, helps prevent more serious problems. This is the mandate of the intel community. Spying on every American in the country is not part of that mandate (in addition to being illegal).
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Re: So when
What does Angela Merkel have to be riled about (and I don't think she really is - her anger was mostly for domestic consumption)? I don't care if the NSA spies on her. That's part of their job. The government should be spying on foreign heads of state - even and especially heads of state. Espionage is an excellent tool of diplomacy, as it is very useful to the diplomats to know what Merkel and those around her are saying privately about the things they say in public which interest us. They do it to us, we do it to them. It's how the world works and, done properly, helps prevent more serious problems. This is the mandate of the intel community. Spying on every American in the country is not part of that mandate (in addition to being illegal).