Obama May Ban Spying on Heads of Allied States

New York Times ^ | October 28, 2013 | MARK LANDLER and DAVID E. SANGER

[Irenic]

Yeah, like enhanced interrogation. Everything is appearance with Obama. He will say it is banned, outlawed but that doesn’t make it so.

[lbryce]

Guilty as charged. :-) Sorry about the misinterpretation.
Well, at least I get my life-long dream to being called Francis come to fruition.

[Nailbiter]

maybe someone will release the blackberry journals

[iowamark]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

[lbryce]

Hillaryous is intrinsically hilarious.

[Charles Martel]

We still have allies?

[Slyfox]

Those are his allies, not ours.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

In a statement on Monday, Ms. Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers.”

It's good to see the US continue to lead the way for other nations - while the other governments of the world quaintly continue to spy on each other, our government boldly renounces this outdated 20th century practice and forges ahead with the less costly, more efficient innovation of spying on it's own citizens.

Not only is spying on US citizens easier than spying on foreign heads of state, it also consumes less fuel for foreign trips, thereby making it sexy, sustainable "green" spying, certified by the EPA not to endanger polar bears.

[Billthedrill]

My, yes, he "may" ban spying on other members of the international elite or he "may" not, but we must all understand that no such tiny tremor of conscience will be coming our way in that regard. My, no.

Time, I think, to shut the NSA down completely. I am aware of its value as a clearing-house for intelligence. In a sane government it would be that, ethically run, or at least as close to it as feasible. In an ignorant, arrogant, power-hungry and abusive government, it is a fantastically dangerous object. Weigh the value against the abuse. In a sane time, the value obviously would be greater. In an abusive time, the price is too great to pay.

[SaxxonWoods]

“Obama is surprised by the disclosure of NSA spying, which he learned about only recently.”

that “learned about only recently” phrase is a favorite of the administration.

This prezzy is the best argument ever that government is too big for anyone’s good. He never has the slightest idea what is going on anywhere within his adminstration.

[Gene Eric]

The dick who didn’t a thing.

[Gene Eric]

grumbling....

The dick who didn’t know a thing.

[TurboZamboni]

‘In a statement Monday, Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers.”...’

She only believes on collecting said information from innocent US citizens...

[kabar]

This prezzy is the best argument ever that government is too big for anyone’s good.

Do you honestly believe Obama didn't know what was going on?

[steve8714]

wink wink, nudge nudge

[donmeaker]

Arthur Zimmermann sent a telegram to the German Embassy in Mexico City offering Mexico an allegience, as well as California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico upon successful completion of the war.

Abusing diplomatic priviledge, he sent it (ciphered) through the US using telegraph cables laid and operated by the US, in violation of international war. The British intercepted it, decrypted it, and was able to coach the US on were it was, and what it meant, leading in part to the US declaration of war on Germany in 1917.

Intelligence: It helps us avoid wars, and win wars we can’t avoid, so of course the usual suspects demand that the US alone among all nations must end all intelligence operations.

[txhurl]

All of a sudden the zero protection squad are very very nervous.

Defensive. And defensive is something I’ve never seen them be. Dismissive, 100%. Something’s going on.

[MortMan]

Why would they believe he would end the spying on them NOW?

He lied before, what makes this time different?

The only statement from him I would accept at face value is “I’m a communist fraud”.