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Europe
Obama Lied To Angela Merkel, He Personally Ordered The Bugging Of Her
2013-10-27
"However, Bild is reporting that not only did Obama know about the bugging, but that he himself personally ok'd it in 2010, and stepped up surveillance on Merkel, calling for a "comprehensive dossier" on her."
...hope the US can keep the damage contained to Zero and Company...yes, the program began under Dubya, but Cmdr. Zero stepped up the game and personally directed it...President Nosey Thinskin may be feeling a little lonely of late...
Our intel agencies are supposed to spy on others. That's the whole point, and legality be damned. There's 10,000 years of recorded human history to serve as precedent that governments need intel on those around them. Champ may -- just may -- have gotten this one right. He might have looked at the dossier in question and asked, "where's the good shit?"
Posted by:Uncle Phester

#32  ...through the prism of politics, there are no friendships, only interests...
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2013-10-27 22:17  

#31  I know of no one who spies on their friends. They only spy on enemy.
Posted by: Thrans Splat1574   2013-10-27 21:39  

#30  I don't spy on my friends.
Posted by: Thrans Splat1574   2013-10-27 21:37  

#29  Embassy Bugging in Berlin
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 21:01  

#28  Europe has an strong aristocratic bent, and aristocrats exempt each other from such nasty business. They assumed Champ was one of them due to his Lefty politics. By breaking the rules he has proven once and for all that he is NOT one of them. Put another way, if you can't abide by a gentleman's agreement then you are, sir, no gentleman.

In Europe, Champ is now a pariah. That's fine with Champ, but bad for the US and for the world. Best case is that the UK and continental press now goes after him. Word will trickle out on this end of the pond once all the stories come out that our worthless press has been hiding.
Posted by: Iblis   2013-10-27 20:36  

#27  the bug was in the iPod of Obama speeches they gave her. I expect it was in the airport trash before she left the terminal
Posted by: Frank G   2013-10-27 16:49  

#26  g(r)om, not that I have any knowledge, but I doubt it. The queen of England has almost no real power.

The prime minister on the other hand ...
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2013-10-27 16:23  

#25  I wonder if NSA is bugging the Queen?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2013-10-27 16:14  

#24  "Thou Shalt Not Get Caught" Lazarus Long
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2013-10-27 15:56  

#23  European politicians in general are supporters of the surveillance-state.

This is especially true for Merkel's party.

They're upset because the NSA is treating them like common peasants. They got a dose of their own medicine.

As for Obama's 'dossier': If there's good reason to be suspicious of the likes of Huma Abedin or Valerie Jarrett or even B. Hussein Obama then there's also a very good reason to keep an eye on Merkel's activities.

Not to mention that since only months after 9/11 all German administrations have seen to it that there was light between the US and Germany.

I'm no fan of Obama and I don't want to make excuses for him.

The way I see it this is a sort of international game of checks and balances. Two groups' of crooks rivalry keeps them from even more thoroughly screwing the peasants their respective public.
Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660   2013-10-27 15:14  

#22  You probably know better than I do...

As to the spying... there's checking up on foreign leaders to see what they're up to, whom they meet etc.

Listening into their phone calls is not a good idea... I doubt that Merkel said important things on her unsecured phone and the damage when your bugging is found is substantial.

But what is terminally stupid is to lie about it when you must know that evidence exists to disprove you on the spot.

All that NSA spying will have significant economical impact. American software companies already feel it.
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 14:29  

#21  I don't doubt that John McCain is a good man. He just run a poor campaign.

And you would be wrong. When McVain was cleared to return to duty after his release from the Hanoi Hilton. He ultimately wound up as CO of VA-174, an A7-E FAM (familiarization/training) squadron.

He was known as a buddy fucker. There wasn't a deployed officer/pilots wife he wouldn't try to fuck.

He was a miserable douche bag then, and from what I can see, he hasn't changed much, in fact, I'd say he's gotten worse.
Posted by: Secret Asian Man   2013-10-27 14:02  

#20  "I don't doubt that John McCain is a good man."

I'm beginning to wonder, EC. :-(
Posted by: Barbara   2013-10-27 13:08  

#19  I don't doubt that John McCain is a good man. He just run a poor campaign.

And yes, voter fraud is not something you hear a lot about in Germany. The dead don't vote here.
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 11:55  

#18  ..and don't forget, in Europe they require an ID card to vote. just saying.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-10-27 11:46  

#17  That would be the same 'candidate' who was a man of honor, of undisputable faith, a class act, successful family man and father.

The apparatchiks hate such people.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-10-27 11:45  

#16  Don't blame Europe for this one, blame the Republicans with their poor candidate.

That would be the same 'candidate' who was a man of honor, of undisputable faith, a class act, successful family man and father. That would be the same 'candidate' that successfully ran a number of businesses and became a wealthy man, not through graft and politics, but through hard work and initiative. That would be the same 'candidate' that promised to end Obamacare.

Nothing wrong with the seed. The soil has suffered severe retrogression and will only support weeds.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-10-27 11:41  

#15  @AlainC

She remained as neutral as she could possibly be, but it was pretty clear at the time that Obama would become president.

Don't blame Europe for this one, blame the Republicans with their poor candidate.

Obama DID run an excellent campaign in 2008, making full use of the internet and social media.
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 11:31  

#14  So who said Merkel was spied on and how? Snowden? To me that's the big issue, not that the spying (may have) happened, but who said so and why were they in a position to be able to credibly say so, and why are they still alive?
Posted by: Glenmore   2013-10-27 10:32  

#13  What would be inteesting if to know if Obama showed equal cuioisty for, say, King of Saudi Aabia, Pesident of Palistan, Amid Kaai o Ian's headd honcho.
Posted by: JFM   2013-10-27 10:23  

#12  EC, you're correct on that detail but she didn't do anything that I recall to evince any concern or skepticism at the time.

Seems to me that she should have been a lot less welcoming to a politician wanting to hold a campaign event in her country.
Posted by: AlanC   2013-10-27 09:58  

#11  IIRC she's a solid East German. She's knows a good effective apparatchik and a doofus self absorbed wannabe academic types of the Leftist world when she sees them.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-10-27 08:59  

#10  @AlanC

In 2008 Obama wanted to hold his rally in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate. The leftist Berlin mayor was game, but Merkel said no. Obama never forgot that.
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 08:47  

#9  ""The Listener at the wall hears his own shame""
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 08:45  

#8  Would it be unpolitic for someone to point out to Frau Merkel that she and the rest of the EU luvvies played a large part in getting this despicable blackgaurd elected?

This comes under the heading of "be careful what you wish for".
Posted by: AlanC   2013-10-27 08:37  

#7  Do you know the German expression: "Der Lauscher an der Wand, hört seine eigene Schand"?

Um, no. My German is a bit rusty. Please enlighten us!
Posted by: Nguard   2013-10-27 08:37  

#6  He might have a "comprehensive dossier" on nher now. To bad he didn't learn anything from it.

Do you know the German expression: "Der Lauscher an der Wand, hört seine eigene Schand"?
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-10-27 08:30  

#5  Please give Champ some slack. It would have been entirely out of character for him to tell the truth.

For the most part the Germans think highly of Merkel. She's no-nonsense, very intelligent, a highly skilled and competent political operative and negotiator, leading a strong, vibrant economy of hard working people. In Champ's view, a "comprehensive dossier" is completely warranted. She's everything that he is NOT or ever will be. He loathes such people.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-10-27 05:29  

#4  Key bit - CouldnÂ’t be worse if he were purposely trying to harm the United StatesÂ’ credibility with the rest of the world. . But we knew that already...
Posted by: Raj   2013-10-27 01:02  

#3  Here we go. Obama's looking for the reset button in his golf bag...
Posted by: Raj   2013-10-27 00:58  

#2  Substitute link here; lemme try to find the original one, as looking at the source HTML didn't bear fruit.
Posted by: Raj   2013-10-27 00:56  

#1  link not working.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2013-10-27 00:46  

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