The Uninformed Are Lazy or Useless

“Why did we not know that heads of state were being eavesdropped on, spied on?” asked Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) during Congress’ questioning of the head of the National Security Agency (NSA), Keith Alexander, last Tuesday. She joins the body of people who claim to be uninformed in order to wash their hands after the latest revelation from Edward Snowden, that the U.S. has been bugging its allies. The same wide-eyed ignorance comes from President Barack Obama. Google and Yahoo, whose data NSA seem to have been using, declare to everyone that this has been happening without their knowledge. All these remarks should be taken with a pinch of salt — and a mouthful of cola to rinse it down.

Schakowsky sits in the committee responsible for intelligence. She has either been lazy or unobservant. “[W]e have access to all sources and methods and there is lots of product to be reviewed by the Intelligence Committee […] Any implication that through the reviews that this committee would not be informed to the status that has been in question is not correct,” Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) pointed out during the questioning.

Or, as the comedian Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show on Oct. 30: “The same Congress that is puzzled over the extent and scope of our spying organization is the one that gave them the extent and scope.”* No, not very convincing.

The whole point of intelligence services is to secretly collect information that can help the home country — and its allies. The activities of spying are not usually published in newspapers. The fact that European countries now are upset because they have been bugged is partly legitimate. During the Cold War the U.S. would not spy on its allies. There seem to be good reasons to look over their routines. But the European intelligence services do not operate in very different ways. They are only smaller and not as good. Furthermore, many of the countries that have been spied on are working with the U.S. The irritation is a tactical move for the home audience.

But the American surveillance can have been exaggerated. More transparency, yes. Take away all the powers of the intelligence services? No, that would only be a gain for those who wish to harm the U.S. — and the Western world. Instead of pretending to be unaware, the politicians responsible should stand up for why surveillance is necessary.

*Editor’s Note: This quotation, accurately translated, could not be verified.