Allies or Enemies?

Der Spiegel, a German weekly news magazine, claims that the German chancellor’s cell phone was tapped. Before, French diplomats made similar charges. Merkel’s office expressed its outrage: How can you bug the head of an allied government?

It is difficult to adopt a naïve attitude toward espionage, [a practice] as old as the hills. However, there is something else that is surprising: A great number of the operations in Europe are among allies. It seems that American agencies blew the scale of the operations and the safety threat out of proportion. Serious doubts also arise as to whether American actions have any lawful base. Certainly, they do not bring glory to the nation, whose political rhetoric highlights such values as democracy and law.

The anxiety also results from the words of Jean-Jacques Urovas, chairman of the French National Assembly Committee on Laws, who is the author of a report on the legal framework applicable to secret services in France. The U.S., says the MP, doesn’t have allies, but instead has targets or vassals; it does not treat its partners on equal terms. But the EU, which is going to debate safety on the web today, is unable to strongly oppose Washington. The matter concerns cooperation with secret agencies, and every country wants to be on best terms with the U.S. Therefore, Europe will stay in dispersed formation.

One can suspect that the growth of American intelligence agencies to almost 100 employees and a budget of nearly $75 million gives impetus to use the conquests of technology. Isn’t thinking about technology ahead of thinking about politics?

My admiration for American efficiency faded a bit when I was filling out an official visa questionnaire. I answered questions, which I suppose are asked to anyone who wishes to visit the U.S.: “Are you planning to take up terrorist activity?” Then: “Are you planning to be engaged in espionage and sabotage? Do you want to financially support terrorist organizations?” And finally: “Do you belong to a terrorist organization?” “Have you ever committed or ordered anyone to commit political murders or genocide?”

I’m wondering what answers the government is expecting to get. I hope that the agents who are analyzing our conversations are craftier than those who made the questionnaire. If not, watch your words — even on the phone with your auntie.