http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/24/obama-isolated-anger-builds-us-allies
International anger over US government surveillance has combined with a backlash against its current Middle East policy to leave President Obama increasingly isolated from many of his key foreign allies.
Many Germans thought the chancellor, however, had been too restrained in her criticism when the extent of NSA surveillance on ordinary citizens emerged. Now they believe Merkel is getting a taste of her own medicine. Merkel’s interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich had spent the past few months blocking block efforts for tighter data protection regulation at European level, favouring self-regulation over a tightening of rules in Brussels. In August, Merkel’s chief of staff, Ronald Pofalla, said the government had been reassured by the US and UK governments that no large-scale human rights violation had taken place. The allegations were “off the table”, and the NSA scandal was “beendet” (finished). The secret government approved by the secret court and supported by the lap-dog state-supporting media is rightfully angering democracies that should protect in the right of privacy and the importance of transparency.
Keep up the great work Guardian – Europe needs a news organization led by journalists who believe in journalism.
The #merkelphone, #NSA and #Syria #Euro disasters are unrelated, but show how arrogance leads to complete ignorance, and #Exceptionalism Obama blew up US credibility on all levels faster and more significant than any US president before. But not only US. It may not even worthwhile what those 35 “so-called European leaders” had to say on the Phone. But every free citizen and every multinational company will not fail to notice what this massive break of confidentiality means not only symbolically. In three words. DONT TRUST US – policy, software, service, products, financial agenda even legal system.
Gives many historic events a complete new meaning. Welcome back conspiracy theorist, I apologize. Obama has been caught but -all- European Leaders and especially the EU hacks are just like him. To all of them their citizen and the real economy is enemy number one. They knew before when the issue came up before the German election but shrugged their shoulders.