(Alan Crawford)
“Senator John McCain called on National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander to quit over the damage done to U.S.-German relations by revelations that the NSA may have tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone. The disclosures and allegations meant it was time for a ‘wholesale housecleaning,’ including a personal apology to Merkel by President Obama, and repercussions for Alexander, McCain said in an interview with the German news magazine Der Spiegel published [Sunday]. ‘Of course he should resign, or be fired,’ McCain said when asked if Alexander should quit. It’s ‘conceivable’ that Obama didn’t know about the eavesdropping, ‘but the fact remains that he should have known it. Responsibility always stops at the president’s desk … Knowing how angry Angela Merkel was, he should have apologized.’”
I don’t disagree with McCain. I know there is a lot that the non-intelligence community doesn’t know or understand about how we spy on our friends and enemies but…somehow, it just doesn’t seem kosher. I believe that the President already did apologize to Ms. Merkel but if he hasn’t, he should.
Its also very obvious that spying and eavesdropping is an on-going thing and that President Obama could easily not have known about it. I feel certain that the same behavior has gone on in other administrations. The bottom line is, we got caught. Keith Alexander was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps he is just collateral damage.
I also believe that the Germans have probably tapped into Obama’s cell phone also if they are able to do so. That’s just how it works. The bottom line, however, is, they weren’t caught. Not this time.
I am not sure how that apology conversation should even go, but it needs to happen. How about “I am sorry our spooks tapped into your cell phone calls. They are sometimes over-zealous in their efforts to keep our country safe. It won’t happen again.”
If we ever get Snowden back, should we try him quickly and off him as a traitor?
I would bet that the NSA is tapping McCain’s phone, and probably other politicians who have been critical of the NSA, like Rand Paul. I think they are doing it on their own volition, without the president’s knowledge, under the direction if some Ollie North-type who thinks they are above the law. It is all very troubling.
I expect they have probably tapped into Obama’s cell phone also. Think back to J. Edgar Creepy.
Everyone needs to apologize to everyone else. But a modern country that needs to be secure has to snoop on everyone else 24-7. They all do it and it’s a fact of modern life.
yea but Merkel’s private line is a bit much…..
So shall we execute Snowden? Where is that little prick at the moment?
I wonder how long this “spying” has been occurring?
For some time there has been concern regarding the NSA and their lack of oversight. There must be a happy medium somewhere.
Only apologize when it gets out
Yes, right after Merkel and all those other jerks apologize for their spying on El Presidente.
What about how Brazil was outraged about US spying on another country and then had their own Snowden moment – http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/05/world/americas/brazil-spying/
Which President needs to apologize – Bush for starting the German spying or Obama for continuing the program?
The Russians passed out thumb drives that had a virus on it at the recent G20 conference – what should be done there?
There can be all the faux outrage out there – but countries, friends and enemies have always spied on each other
Just Obama to Merkel over personal spying on her cell phone. He should also tell her he didn’t know. Just manners…that’s all. She is a strong ally and it is posing a problem. No he shouldn’t apologize for Bush. Bush could apologize for Bush if he feels he needs to.
Apology to Merkel?
How about an apology to Americans?
There’s just something funny about somebody who grew up in East Germany complaining about their phones being tapped.
Like somebody said, this the kind of thing countries do to each other. Sometimes you get caught though. And when you get caught, you apologize, then quietly start it back up again once the press dies down.
Obama shouldn’t apologize himself, but have John Kerry go over and give a speech. Something to massage her ego.
Hasn’t history shown us that keeping a close eye on the Germans is a pretty good idea?
Furby, while you and I rarely agree, I will admit that this time I think you have a good plan. Pay a little lip-service and move on. Its probably a little bad to tap someone’s personal line…
@Furby McPhee
+1 to what you said.
McCain continues to make a fool of himself. I’m sure he’d apologize if he were president- oh, that’s right, the American people made a great decision and denied him (and Sarah) that office. He just can’t get over it.
If McCain wants to give advice, he should give it to his idiotic running mate. I don’t agree at all with NSA spying on Americans (or the other freedoms we’ve given up in the name of protection from terrorism), but international spying (on friends and foes) has been going on as long as humans have inhabited the earth. Enemies become friends, friends become enemies- it is incumbent on our leaders to do everything they can to know what EVERYONE is planning- for mercantile and protective reasons.