German ex-chancellor Schroeder accuses U.S. of disrespect over spying

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder accused the United States of showing "no respect" for Germany's sovereignty after a newspaper reported on Wednesday the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) had bugged his phone from at least 2002.

Reports last year about mass U.S. surveillance in Germany, in particular of Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, shocked Germans and sparked the most serious row between the transatlantic allies in a decade.

"The United States has no respect for a loyal ally and for the sovereignty of our country," Schroeder was quoted as saying by Bild daily. "That countries spy on each other is certainly not a new experience. But to spy on the telephone of a chancellor is clearly a step too far."

Since the first reports of spying last year, it has been widely suspected in Germany that the NSA had bugged governments preceding Merkel's. But the report by Sueddeutsche daily on Wednesday, which it sourced to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, was the first concrete report that offers evidence.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/uk-germany-usa-spying-idUKBREA141TH20140205

[Demeter]

1. Call it what it is, Chancellor: Criminal violation of treaty

and crimes against humanity.

[NNadir]

2. He probably wonders if someone's been listening to his negotiations with Putin on his Gazprom...

...salary.

[gussmith]

3. The Righteous

Some of our parents went to their graves disrespecting Germany.

[former9thward]

5. Are you still fighting WW II?

Weird.

[Titonwan]

10. More peyote needed.

WHAT does that even mean? 'disrespecting'?
I'm going to my grave 'insulting' as many people that I can! And you know what? Most human beings see what I'm doin' and we hug it out. I argue the point of irony. It's the vindictive, among us, that hold on to and cherish hatred.
I ain't havin' dat.

[jakeXT]

4. I still wonder if they did it in 99 ?

Last edited Wed Feb 5, 2014, 08:47 PM - Edit history (1)

CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: DIPLOMACY; Schroder's Blunt 'No' to Ground Troops in Kosovo Reflects Depth of German Sensitivities

By ROGER COHEN
Published: May 20, 1999


The categorical declaration today by Chancellor Gerhard Schroder that Germany would not countenance a NATO ground war in Kosovo reflected the sensitivities of a country for which even bombing Yugoslavia has already stretched political possibilities.

Speaking at a news conference in Brussels, Mr. Schroder lambasted the debate in Britain over sending ground troops into Kosovo, declaring, ''I am against any change of NATO strategy.'' He reiterated the position in an interview with German television, saying: ''It is my view that we will not deploy ground troops in Yugoslavia.''

Mr. Schroder made his comments as senior officials from the Group of Seven wealthiest nations and Russia met in Bonn to try to build on a statement earlier this month that called for the deployment in Kosovo of international ''civil and security presences'' and the withdrawal of Serbian forces.

The statement, issued on May 6, marked the first time since the bombing began two months ago that Russia and the West had spoken with one voice. But it left open several contentious issues, including the composition of any international force, the circumstances under which NATO bombing would stop, and whether all Serbian forces have to pull out of Kosovo.

[JDPriestly]

7. Think Dresden.

Think Americans bombing during the day and the British bombing at night. Think of the children who died in Germany. Think of the concentration camps. Germans are keen to avoid armed conflict when at all possible. That may be changing now as a younger generation replaces those with WWII memories.

Had you been a child in Germany in WWII, you would not want to ever go to war unless absolutely necessary. And those children are now in their late 60s and older.

We in America have been blessed in that we have not suffered a war in our country for over a century. We don't know how grateful we should be for that.

[OnyxCollie]

11. Wars of aggression are unconstitutional under Germany's Basic Law.

Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html#p0015

Article 26
{Securing international peace}

(1) Acts tending to and undertaken with intent to disturb the peaceful relations between nations, especially to prepare for a war of aggression, shall be unconstitutional. They shall be made a criminal offence.

[JDPriestly]

12. Right. There is a good reason for monitoring some of the communications in Germany because

there may be terrorists there. But the chancellor of Germany is not a terrorist.

[OnyxCollie]

15. Nope. Not a terrorist.

Article 10
{Privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications}

(1) The privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications shall be inviolable.

(2) Restrictions may be ordered only pursuant to a law. If the restriction serves to protect the free democratic basic order or the existence or security of the Federation or of a Land, the law may provide that the person affected shall not be informed of the restriction and that recourse to the courts shall be replaced by a review of the case by agencies and auxiliary agencies appointed by the legislature.


Article 13
{Inviolability of the home}

(1) The home is inviolable.

(2) Searches may be authorised only by a judge or, when time is of the essence, by other authorities designated by the laws, and may be carried out only in the manner therein prescribed.

(3) If particular facts justify the suspicion that any person has committed an especially serious crime specifically defined by a law, technical means of acoustical surveillance of any home in which the suspect is supposedly staying may be employed pursuant to judicial order for the purpose of prosecuting the offence, provided that alternative methods of investigating the matter would be disproportionately difficult or unproductive. The authorisation shall be for a limited time. The order shall be issued by a panel composed of three judges. When time is of the essence, it may also be issued by a single judge.

(4) To avert acute dangers to public safety, especially dangers to life or to the public, technical means of surveillance of the home may be employed only pursuant to judicial order. When time is of the essence, such measures may also be ordered by other authorities designated by a law; a judicial decision shall subsequently be obtained without delay.

(5) If technical means are contemplated solely for the protection of persons officially deployed in a home, the measure may be ordered by an authority designated by a law. The information thereby obtained may be otherwise used only for purposes of criminal prosecution or to avert danger and only if the legality of the measure has been previously determined by a judge; when time is of the essence, a judicial decision shall subsequently be obtained without delay.

(6) The Federal Government shall report to the Bundestag annually as to the employment of technical means pursuant to paragraph (3) and, within the jurisdiction of the Federation, pursuant to paragraph (4) and, insofar as judicial approval is required, pursuant to paragraph (5) of this Article. A panel elected by the Bundestag shall exercise parliamentary oversight on the basis of this report. A comparable parliamentary oversight shall be afforded by the Länder.

(7) Interferences and restrictions shall otherwise only be permissible to avert a danger to the public or to the life of an individual, or, pursuant to a law, to confront an acute danger to public safety and order, in particular to relieve a housing shortage, to combat the danger of an epidemic, or to protect young persons at risk.

[Titonwan]

6. When are folks gonna understand?

Spies are weapons. They're not interested in protecting you- they're protecting the 'interests' of the powerful. They kill, they lie, they coerce and intimidate.
Fear has made a nation unable to reason anymore, thanks to a pliable media that is merely a stenographer instead of the intended fourth estate. A media infiltrated by CIA and FBI monitors (it's been that way for years, now).

Meta data is the most insidious and effective way to quash all hope of change and the NSA is doing it on an 'Eleven' level now. Full spectrum dominance. That saying 'all resistance is futile' may become a concrete fuckin' fact if we don't protest this and support the ones showing what's going on.
You know, like my man a Mr. Edward Snowden, along with his compatriots Glenn Greenwald (I jokingly call him 'Grimm Gleanworld') and Laura Poitras, who bravely brought this travesty to light.

[JDPriestly]

8. Thank you.

[Titonwan]

9. A honor coming from you, sir/ma'am

[The Second Stone]

13. The Germans should really soft pedal their objections

and let the French and Brits do the heavy lifting here.

[imthevicar]

14. They Lie to their own citizens,

What makes you special!