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There has been serious uproar over the leaked information that the US, and in particular the National Security Agency (NSA), has tapped the phones of a number of high ranking officials and leaders from around the world. The information was initially leaked by Edward Snowden and has built up a head of steam, with Angela Merkel of Germany being especially vociferous in her condemnation of the snooping. Relations between the US and Europe have soured with the UN saying they may have to take action over the alleged incidents, and President Barrack Obama being forced to make a humiliating apology.
Former US security contractor Edward Snowden caused outrage around the world when he leaked information that showed the US snooping on the Internet activity of everyday people from all over the world. He also showed that the country had monitored phone call data and it would be fair to say that most of the world reacted angrily. However, this was nothing compared to the reaction that has been garnered following the news that the NSA has also been tapping high ranking officials from governments around the world.
Initially, it was leaders from Brazil and Mexico but the net widened to include Europe soon after. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, was one of the people whose phone was tapped and it has led to an embarrassing climb down by President Obama, following by an equally embarrassing admission and subsequent apology. Obama initially denied the claims but it later emerged that the NSA had indeed tapper Merkel’s phone but without informing the President.
A further report showed that the NSA had encouraged its top departments to provide them with details of phone numbers for some of the highest ranking officials in world government. They were provided with a list of more than 200 numbers from a single official and this list included the names of 35 global leaders. The Germans said that such spying between friends and allies was not acceptable. The pain for the US and Obama, in particular, did not let up here either.
A report highlighted that 70 million French phone records were monitored and that the NSA even recorded some private phone calls. French officials said that while they fully agree with cooperation in order to try and end and combat terrorism, they do not agree with the spying and collecting of data on individual citizens. The US said that they clearly needed to look at how information was collected and to ensure that sensitive information did not harm the privacy of innocent citizens around the world.
Edward Snowden has muddied the waters of alliance between the US and virtually every country around the world. A previously close relationship between the US and Europe is virtually in tatters as nations including Germany, who have recently been one of America’s closest allies, have rounded on the global power. Angela Merkel is clearly upset by revelations that her calls were monitored and President Obama is presumably seething at the fact that he was not made aware of the snooping.
Former US security contractor Edward Snowden caused outrage around the world when he leaked information that showed the US snooping on the Internet activity of everyday people from all over the world. He also showed that the country had monitored phone call data and it would be fair to say that most of the world reacted angrily. However, this was nothing compared to the reaction that has been garnered following the news that the NSA has also been tapping high ranking officials from governments around the world.
Initially, it was leaders from Brazil and Mexico but the net widened to include Europe soon after. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, was one of the people whose phone was tapped and it has led to an embarrassing climb down by President Obama, following by an equally embarrassing admission and subsequent apology. Obama initially denied the claims but it later emerged that the NSA had indeed tapper Merkel’s phone but without informing the President.
A further report showed that the NSA had encouraged its top departments to provide them with details of phone numbers for some of the highest ranking officials in world government. They were provided with a list of more than 200 numbers from a single official and this list included the names of 35 global leaders. The Germans said that such spying between friends and allies was not acceptable. The pain for the US and Obama, in particular, did not let up here either.
A report highlighted that 70 million French phone records were monitored and that the NSA even recorded some private phone calls. French officials said that while they fully agree with cooperation in order to try and end and combat terrorism, they do not agree with the spying and collecting of data on individual citizens. The US said that they clearly needed to look at how information was collected and to ensure that sensitive information did not harm the privacy of innocent citizens around the world.
Edward Snowden has muddied the waters of alliance between the US and virtually every country around the world. A previously close relationship between the US and Europe is virtually in tatters as nations including Germany, who have recently been one of America’s closest allies, have rounded on the global power. Angela Merkel is clearly upset by revelations that her calls were monitored and President Obama is presumably seething at the fact that he was not made aware of the snooping.