Who is Spying on Whom....

Today the American Ambassador to Germany was called in for a meeting by the German Foreign Minister Westerwelle to discuss the charge that the American National Security Agency (NSA) has bugged Frau Merkel's mobile telephone.  Just to make it more exciting the Bundesanwaltschaft or the Federal Prosecutor's Office has also been brought in to the investigation which ups the stakes considerably.

Now there are a number of points to be made here.

As the first allegations of wiretapping of foreign nationals by the NSA hit Germany Frau Merkel was noticably quiet.  There were grumblings that of course it didn't surprise her.  Wasn't the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND)-the German Intelligence Service-doing the same thing?  And, even if they weren't, than surely spying by the NSA could not possibly impact her-she was not a mere mortal, she is the Chancellor.

But now, all of a sudden, she too has perhaps been dragged down to earth and suddenly she too is annoyed.

But back up for a second.  The NSA is responsible for the security of the United States.  Unsurprisingly in a capitalist country in addition to the political and military security of the USA they are also responsible for the economic security of the country.

Suddenly wiretapping the German Chancellor's mobile who is not only Germany's leader but to a large degree also the defacto leader of Europe is less surprising.  Without a question Frau Merkel puts Germany's interests first followed very closely by Europe's interests-they are in many instances one and the same-and often not necessarily in the interest of the USA.  Just think of the various stimulus packages, banking controls or Germany's lack of support for some American military ventures which are not easily construed to be in America's interest.

Add to that the fact that she is much more willing to engage with countries like Russia and even China- countries that the USA is much more suspicious of than she is-and wouldn't it be nice to know what she is saying.

No, I am not surprised that her mobile phone most probably has been tapped by the NSA.

I would be surprised however if the German Counterespionage Agency had not provided her with a secure phone, and I would be surprised if she didn't use that phone for all non-personal business.

I am however actually somewhat disappointed that despite her humbleness as one of the most powerful policitians in Europe if not the world, she has suddenly just now realized that she too is a mere mortal and that (of course) the NSA would try and tape her phone.