Obama knew of NSA spying on Merkel and approved it, report says

President Barack Obama knew of the organization’s spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel – and approved of the efforts, a National Security Agency official has reportedly told a German newspaper.The Economic Times writes the “high-ranking” NSA official spoke to Bild am Sonntag on the condition of anonymity, saying the president, “not only did not stop the operation, but he also ordered it to continue.”
The Economic Times also reports the official told Bild am Sonntag that Obama did not trust Merkel, wanted to know everything about her, and thus ordered the NSA to prepare a dossier on the politician.

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Obama knew of NSA spying on Merkel and approved it, report says | Fox News

Well, if this is true, it's not a very good thing for America moving forward.

MrVicchio said:

Obama knew of NSA spying on Merkel and approved it, report says | Fox News

Well, if this is true, it's not a very good thing for America moving forward.

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it's all part of the geopolitical games countries play. You can bet you last dollar Merkel and Germany are spying on Obama and the U.S. the days where gentlemen didn't read other peoples mail have gone out the window over a hundred years ago. The Brits are experts at this, the Israeli's too. The French no so much.

Perotista said:

it's all part of the geopolitical games countries play. You can bet you last dollar Merkel and Germany are spying on Obama and the U.S. the days where gentlemen didn't read other peoples mail have gone out the window over a hundred years ago. The Brits are experts at this, the Israeli's too. The French no so much.

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The game has rules, and one of the rule is not to get caught, and not get caught personally targeting an ally.

MrVicchio said:

The game has rules, and one of the rule is not to get caught, and not get caught personally targeting an ally.

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yeah, getting caught is a bummer. If one of Germany's agencies caught the U.S. doing it, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Perhaps some private messages back and forth. But no one else would have known. This is different because it was basically Snowden dropping the bomb and the entire populace now knows about it. It could get very sticky even if the two leaders do not want it too.

MrVicchio said:

Obama knew of NSA spying on Merkel and approved it, report says | Fox News

Well, if this is true, it's not a very good thing for America moving forward.

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The unnamed NSA official's allegations delve deeper into a Saturday report, published by the German magazine Der Spiegel, claiming the U.S. spy agency has monitored Merkel’s phone since 2002, or even before she rose to her country’s chief executive position and was only an opposition leader.

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Ok in all seriousness he bares responsibility for allowing it to continue and not discontinuing it, that was his decision, but the I am slightly annoyed by how many of these articles are short on details about how this kind of spying has been going on for decades, before Obama, before Bush, before Clinton, before the other Bush, etc... I feel its important to note that spying on allies is nothing new or even entirely unexpected, this isn't the first time the US has been caught with its hand in the cookie jar and other allied nations have spied against us as well. I feel important to mention these kind details to put this stuff in context and not pretend that the US spying on European allies only started recently and exist in a void where no similar activity has been happening for decades.

Wiseone said:

Ok in all seriousness he bares responsibility for allowing it to continue and not discontinuing it, that was his decision, but the I am slightly annoyed by how many of these articles are short on details about how this kind of spying has been going on for decades, before Obama, before Bush, before Clinton, before the other Bush, etc... I feel its important to note that spying on allies is nothing new or even entirely unexpected, this isn't the first time the US has been caught with its hand in the cookie jar and other allied nations have spied against us as well. I feel important to mention these kind details to put this stuff in context and not pretend that the US spying on European allies only started recently and exist in a void where no similar activity has been happening for decades.

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the difference is, this community organizer and his administration didn't have the intelligence to operate intelligently.

Lets face it........everything Obama touches turns to ****........ is a bungling buffoon.

Rocketman said:

the difference is, this community organizer and his administration didn't have the intelligence to operate intelligently.

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While I share Wiseone's position that it was Obama's decision to continue the program and bears that responsibility, I don't suppose you'd be willing to share what he did to operate it unintelligently here?

Wiseone said:

Ok in all seriousness he bares responsibility for allowing it to continue and not discontinuing it, that was his decision, but the I am slightly annoyed by how many of these articles are short on details about how this kind of spying has been going on for decades, before Obama, before Bush, before Clinton, before the other Bush, etc... I feel its important to note that spying on allies is nothing new or even entirely unexpected, this isn't the first time the US has been caught with its hand in the cookie jar and other allied nations have spied against us as well. I feel important to mention these kind details to put this stuff in context and not pretend that the US spying on European allies only started recently and exist in a void where no similar activity has been happening for decades.

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Agree with you here. It's absolutely something I expect...and actually support....that we've been doing for some time under many Presidents. My general feeling with these things, and many others, is a notion that it needs to be done but at the same time you want to not get caught, and if you get caught then you need to be able to plausibly deny it and burn those that screwed up and got caught.

I don't particularly blame Obama for this happening. However, it does continue to solidify a legacy of a clear and unquestioned cut throat politician who was swept into office largely based on deciet. Mind you, I think MOST politicians get swept into office at least in part based on dishonesty....but SO much was made in the Campaign of 2008 of "Change", or being different than "politics as usual", as "restoring our prestige", of moving away from "Bush Era" policies with regards to dealing with foreign entites and with regards to civil rights domestically. All of which has been shown, time and time again, to be complete and utter hogwash. While most politicians lie or act dishonestly and misrepresent, never have I seen it placed to such an overwhelming point of emphasis and focus within a campaign as I did in 2008 and thus his failure to live up to those things has a far greater impact in my mind when speaking of legacy.

Nah...It wasnt me...

As usual...the president knew nothing about the goings on within his administration. He knew nothing about Benghazi. He knew nothing about the IRS. He knew nothing about tapping Americas phones. He knew nothing about the failures during the testing of Obamacare.He knew nothing about fast and furious, he knew nothing...about nothing. Thats...pathetic. Its not just that he doesnt know, its that he has continued to allow people within his administration to operate and keep him in the dark. if we disbelieve him, he is a liar. If we believe him, by his own admission he is a clueless clown.

Cue music...

Cardinal said:

While I share Wiseone's position that it was Obama's decision to continue the program and bears that responsibility, I don't suppose you'd be willing to share what he did to operate it unintelligently here?

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the fact that you have to ask makes any further comment moot.

Rocketman said:

the fact that you have to ask makes any further comment moot.

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If you knew what Obama did wrong in this case you would just say so. Don't play that stupid game.

Cardinal said:

If you knew what Obama did wrong in this case you would just say so. Don't play that stupid game.

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He lied about not knowing. Or...worse crime...he didnt know.

I've been giving this some serious thought and I now really believe that Obama didn't know - I'm pretty sure he was probably golfing when the NSA briefed the White House and I'm damn sure Valerie Jarrett, the actual President of the United States, made the decision.

Cardinal said:

If you knew what Obama did wrong in this case you would just say so. Don't play that stupid game.

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there is no game, you are beyond reach if you even have to ask, my time is worth more than that to me

VanceMack said:

He lied about not knowing. Or...worse crime...he didnt know.

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I think it's interesting that the only "correct" avenue you've left for the President to take is to essentially say, "Yep, I knew about it, bwahahaha!" The goal is to smooth over a diplomatic ****storm, not blow it up into a much bigger diplomatic ****storm.

Rocketman said:

there is no game, you are beyond reach if you even have to ask, my time is worth more than that to me

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It's clear to me now why no one else bothered calling you out on your absurd claim. They knew this is how you'd react.