On going through my morning news I see that the French Minister of Interior took advantage of his invite to our 4th of July reception to attack the US for its alleged spying on Europe.
Uh, yeah. OK.
For obvious reasons, I must and will be very cautious in what I say re spying. I note, however, that the French might want to hold their tongues on this matter. France has well-funded, active, and effective national intelligence organizations that operate around the world. The French services collect on many targets, private sector as well as government. Those targets are domestic and foreign, and when I say foreign, I mean, uh, well, foreign, you know, as in not French but maybe European and American, and, uh, those are allies of France, so . . . .
Let me conclude by noting that whenever I was in France on official business or had contact with French officials, including dealing on Airbus vs. Boeing sales, I had to be very careful about where I put my laptop, and what I said or sent via any electronic device, n'est-ce pas?
'Nuff said.
WLA
I think all parties need to stipulate that when it is possible, all parties spy on anyone and everyone that they can. That was always Snowden's problem - the notion there was an exception to the rule. Poor fellow wanted to think our government would not spy on US citizens.
ReplyDeleteIf you ain't spyin', you ain't tryin'.
ReplyDeleteI would always have an innocuous background on my laptop while at NATO meetings in Paris, but as soon as I got back to my hotel room, this became my background:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/daniel-maclise/the-meeting-of-wellington-and-blucher-after-the-battle-of-waterloo/3246
At least the French had an official dinner for us at the National Officer's Club in Paris one night. Presumably that was the night they knew no one would be in their hotel rooms...
Ha! Brings back old memories.
DeleteChesapeake anyone?
Deletehttp://tinyurl.com/lkk5m2m
the brave anglo-saxons that forgot to write their defeats in history books
http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/bayonet_battles.htm
I'm sure as long as the Secretary of Sailing is around the Fwench won't need too much stealth to accomplish their data harvest goals. His mouth goes, and goes, and goes, and go..........
ReplyDeleteRainbow Warrior. No need to say more.
ReplyDeleteBingo!
DeleteIt always amazes me that people are surprised that other people (governments) are spying on them. Spying is a natural human urge and endeavor, think tabloids. That's why we have laws, regulations, etc to try to control this activity. For example how does anyone know that this site(my apologies Mr. Mad) and Diplomad is not an agent provocateur designed to draw out conservative current and ex State Dept. employees? You may say I'm being paranoid, but how can you know for sure?
ReplyDeleteJames, of course, in this time and age of disinformation, and timeless "honey pot" traps, anything including your hypothesis is a realistic possible.
DeleteRight, Diplomad?
Jack
I have been found out . . . must flee to Venezuela . . .
DeleteBetter check with your wife, I hear they have a lot of chickens down there.
Deletethat's why the French knew that Saddam WMD was a forged hoax
ReplyDeleteThe French did not say that. They said that, given enough time, the UN inspectors would find the WMD. Our aerial photos showed convoys running continuously from Baghdad to the Syrian border, until a day or so after the invasion began. Many of the young service men and women to whom I have spoken said that their poison gas alarms rang every time the wind changed. Also, i thougt everyone knew about the fish kill in the Euphrates river, passing out of Baghdad.
DeleteThere were many strategic and economic reasons not to invade, but the reality of the chemical weapons? Everyone knew that. If he did not have them, when did he get rid of them? If he did not have them, why were both Clintons, Howard Dean, Al Gore, John Kerry, and the French, and the Germans so sure that he had them, before Bush was ever elected?Why did the Democrats use the issue as a club, on Bush !? Who really believes that they would not have done the same to Bush II, in the 2004 election?What were the UN inspectors seeing when they oversaw the destruction of some of those weapons? What was in those warehice,* scrubbed clean, an hour before the UN got there?(According to NPR)
* If 'lice' is the plural of 'louse', and 'mice' is the plural of 'mouse', then clearly, 'hice' is the plural of house. Pass it on.
With you on this. All the intel I saw, from all over the world, was that Saddam had WMDs. He certainly had used chemical weapons before and had had a nuke program.
DeleteWell looks we've got a live one. A "forged hoax" is something Dan Rather would be most interested in.
Delete"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998
Delete"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." Letter to President Bush, Signed by: Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, Dec 5, 2001
"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." Algore, Sept. 23, 2002
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
Sorry, the preview function did not work right, so my proof reading was even sloppier than usual.
ReplyDelete