Documents leaked by a "29-year-old hacker" have revealed that the U.S. is spying on 38 foreign embassies and missions:
... Along with traditional ideological adversaries and sensitive Middle Eastern countries, the list of "targets" includes the EU missions and the French, Italian and Greek embassies, as well as a number of other American allies, including Japan, Mexico, South Korea, India and Turkey. The list in the September 2010 document does not mention the UK, Germany or other western European states.
.... The new revelations come at a time when there is already considerable anger across the EU over earlier evidence provided by Snowden of NSA eavesdropping on America's European allies.
Germany's justice minister, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, demanded an explanation from Washington, saying that if confirmed, US behaviour "was reminiscent of the actions of enemies during the cold war"....
Although the latest documents are part of an NSA haul leaked by Snowden, it is not clear in each case whether the surveillance was being exclusively done by the NSA – which is most probable as the embassies and missions are technically overseas – or by the FBI or the CIA, or a combination of them. The 2010 document describes the operation as "close access domestic collection".
According to the Daily Mail (UK), our Diplomat Del Mundo told reporters it is 'not unusual' for governments to bug the offices of their allies.
I hope Israel will take Kerry at his word and demand the immediate release of Jonathan Pollard, who is serving his 28th year of an unprecedented life sentence.
Here are some of the facts of the Pollard case dating back to the 1980's -- from the official website that supports his release:
Jonathan Pollard was a civilian American Naval intelligence analyst. In the mid 1980's (circa 1983-1984), Pollard discovered that information vital to Israel's security was being deliberately withheld by certain elements within the U.S. national security establishment.
Israel was legally entitled to this vital security information according to a 1983 Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.
The information being withheld from Israel included Syrian, Iraqi, Libyan and Iranian nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare capabilities - being developed for use against Israel. It also included information on ballistic missile development by these countries and information on planned terrorist attacks against Israeli civilian targets.
When Pollard discovered this suppression of information and asked his superiors about it, he was told to "mind his own business", and that "Jews get nervous talking about poison gas; they don't need to know."
He also learned that the objective of cutting off the flow of information to Israel was to severely curtail Israel's ability to act independently in defense of her own interests.
Pollard was painfully aware that Israeli lives were being put in jeopardy as a result of this undeclared intelligence embargo. He did everything he possibly could to stop this covert policy and to have the legal flow of information to Israel restored. When his efforts met no success, he began to give the information to Israel directly.
Just sayin'.... The U.S. is in a heap of trouble internationally and could use a friend. Obama's buddies - Morsi in Egypt, Erdogan in Turkey and Putin in Reset Russia - are not exactly rushing to his aid. They are more likely watching the downfall of the United States with great anticipation.
Obama Schedule || Monday, July 1, 2013
by KEITH KOFFLER on JULY 1, 2013, 7:40 AM
3:20 am || Departs Capetown, South Africa
7:30 am || Arrives Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania*
8:40 am || Begins meetings with Tanzanian President Kikwete; State House, Dar Es Salaam
9:45 am || Holds press conrference with President Kikwete
10:35 am || Plants a tree with President Kikwete
11:05 am || Takes part in a CEO roundtable; Hyatt Kilimanjaro, Dar Es Salaam
12:05 pm || Speaks to business leaders; Hyatt Kilimanjaro, Dar Es Salaam,
1:20 pm || Attends an official dinner with President Kikwete; State House, Dar Es Salaam
All times Eastern
Live stream of Obama press conference at 9:45 am
* Now might be a good time to consider Dana Milbank's opinion that Obama's visit to Tanzania is "ill-advised."
When President Obama goes to Africa ... the first African American president will have a rare opportunity to spread U.S. values to that continent. It would be a shame if his trip instead validated slavery.
By selecting Tanzania as one of the three countries that will receive a presidential visit on that trip, the Obama administration is honoring a government that has been in a multiyear diplomatic dispute with the United States over human trafficking....
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