Front Page of Germany's Die Zeit: 'Goodbye Friend!'
NSA and Germany: a 'Highly Toxic Outrage Cocktail' (NeueZuercherZeitung,
Switzertland)
"Chancellor Merkel, unlike many of her compatriots, isn't
prone to indulging in excessive moral consternation. If she decides to go
public in a case like this, one can be sure she has valid reason to do so. Should
the accusations prove true, the U.S. government may want to remember a phrase accredited
to Napoleon's Chief of Police Joseph Fouché: 'It was
worse than a crime; it was a mistake.' To know Merkel's next move on the euro-crisis
just a ahead of the media doesn't justify triggering a transatlantic ice age."
Napoleon's Minister of Police Joseph Fouché: After the mistaken execution of Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien, in connection with a plot to assassinate Napoleon, he said, 'It was worse than a crime; it was a
blunder.' It is a phrase that may apply to the NSA's eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
When
latent anti-Americanism and a deep-seated German aversion to the intelligence services
are shaken and stirred, the result is a highly toxic outrage cocktail. For
weeks in June, Berlin was disgusted about the fact that the NSA had tapped 500 million
German computer and phone connections every month. Talk of total surveillance
was all the rage until the Orwellian scarecrow fell over: it turns out that the
Germans themselves were passing data on to the Americans. Furthermore, the BND (Federal Intelligence Service or Bundesnachrichtendienst) is monitoring Afghanistan
and other conflict areas eager to share information with the allies.
Now,
however, indignation has abruptly made a comeback, with news that Chancellor
Merkel's mobile phone has been monitored. Again, is this much ado about
nothing? This time this situation looks more serious. After all, the
chancellor's office made its suspicions public, after Merkel personally complained
to Obama.
Chancellor
Merkel, unlike many of her compatriots, isn't prone to indulging in excessive
moral consternation. If she decides to go public in a case like this, one can
be sure she has valid reason to do so. Should the accusations prove true, the
U.S. government may want to remember a phrase accredited to Napoleon's Minister of
Police Joseph Fouché: "It was worse than a crime; it was a
blunder."
Of
course, within boundaries, allied intelligence agencies spy on one another. In
this zealous collection of information, friendly governments and corporations
are targeted based on the motto: "Those who don't protect themselves are
the ones to blame." They all follow this rule. France, whose President
Hollande has also complained to his counterpart Obama over the NSA, has a
reputation for being exceptionally ruthless when it comes to industrial
espionage. This also explains Paris' most recent Defense White Paper, which states
in no uncertain terms the importance of the intelligence services in a
multipolar world full of terrorists, rebels, and emerging countries.
However,
the new complexity, in which the intelligence services play a role similar to
that once played by tank divisions and ICBMs, is no excuse for any and all
missteps. Even in the world of spooks, a sense of proportion must apply. Targeting
the head of state of a close ally should be a no-go. The resulting political devastation
far outweighs any benefit. Democratic states, in any event, cannot keep secrets
for long. To know Merkel's next move on the euro-crisis just a ahead of the media
doesn't justify triggering a transatlantic ice age. After all, the German Chancellery
is not the Kremlin.
The
impact of the "cell phone rumor" followed by the halfhearted denials of
the American side are already being felt. Last week's E.U.-summit addressed the
concerns of Berlin and Paris about the allegations. France, usually in the role
of "thief," used the opportunity to cry "stop thief!" The
European Parliament, concerned over suspicions that the NSA has a back door
into SWIFT
computers, proposes a suspension of data exchange with Washington. Brazil and
Mexico are also furious because of the intrusive curiosity of American
intelligence.
President
Obama, who began by showing allies a friendlier face than his unloved
predecessor, now has a bona fide diplomatic crisis on his hands. While
President Bush took the Europeans seriously and didn't shy away from difficult
discussions, Obama, in addressing the political damage, is showing the same
indifference that has become a signature of his foreign policy.
Emotions and
Interests
The
Europeans, despite their ostentatious annoyance, would be wise to dispense with
overt anger. Short term emotions are one thing, and long-term interests are another.
Even with the Cold War a thing of the past, the transatlantic partners need one
another. To suspend a free trade agreement over a cloak and dagger rumor, as called
for by notorious chatterbox SPD Chairman Sigmar
Gabriel, would be more than foolish. Besides, Europeans know only too well
that they are dependent on the security umbrella provided by America's armed
forces and intelligence services. Without American satellites and drones, the French
invasion of Mali would not have gone so smoothly.
Washington,
on the other hand, must realize that unlimited computing power and modern spy
software is no substitute for political shrewdness and tact.
