AP Source: U.S. Considering Ending Spying On Allied Heads Of State

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is considering ending spying on allied heads of state, a senior administration official said, as the White House grappled with the fallout from revelations that the U.S. has eavesdropped on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The official said late Monday that a final decision had not been made and an internal review was still underway.

The revelations about National Security Agency monitoring of Merkel were the latest in a months-long spying scandal that has strained longstanding alliances with some of America's closest partners. Earlier Monday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for a "total review of all intelligence programs."

Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement that the White House had informed her that "collection on our allies will not continue." The administration official said that statement was not accurate, but added that some unspecified changes already had been made and more were being considered, including terminating the collection of communications from friendly heads of state.

The official was not authorized to discuss the review by name and insisted on anonymity.

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[1000words]

1. Talk is cheap. Where's the accountability?

The US doesn't torture anymore, either.

[jsr]

2. You can trust what the NSA says.

[woo me with science]

3. Words mean NOTHING.

There is no spying on Americans.
We are considering reining in the spying.
The spying is necessary for national security; you just need to be more comfortable with it.

Obama did not know of spying on allies.
All countries spy on one another.
We will no longer spy on allies.
Spying on allies will continue.
We may stop spying on some allies.

There will be no Grand Bargain.
"Entitlement reform" will be part of any package.
Democrats will need to swallow entitlement cuts.


Watch what they do, not what they say.