NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders after US official handed over contacts

[Chris_]

The National Security Agency monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders after being given the numbers by an official in another US government department, according to a classified document provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The confidential memo reveals that the NSA encourages senior officials in its "customer" departments, such the White House, State and the Pentagon, to share their "Rolodexes" so the agency can add the phone numbers of leading foreign politicians to their surveillance systems.

The document notes that one unnamed US official handed over 200 numbers, including those of the 35 world leaders, none of whom is named. These were immediately "tasked" for monitoring by the NSA.

The Guardian

[thundley4]

Obama said that he would change our standing in the world.

[DLR Pyro]

Obama said that he would change our standing in the world.

[NHSparky]

The damage this administration has done will take DECADES to undo, if ever.

[Dori]

The damage this administration has done will take DECADES to undo, if ever.

Everything Obama touches turns to crap. 

Merkel says US spying on allies has shattered trust in Obama as European leaders unite in anger at summit

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2475792/Angela-Merkel-leads-anger-Obama-US-spying-EU-summit.html#ixzz2ihoQPrAd

[Maxiest]

The damage this administration has done will take DECADES to undo, if ever.

I thought it was Bush that did all the damage. /DUModeOff

[biersmythe]

Heard on the radio this morning that Merkel's personal cell phone has been targeted. I will be willing to bet she is not a happy camper...need to find a link.


Edit found links but all might be questionable.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/23/merkel-phone-tapped_n_4150812.html

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/23/us-monitored-angela-merkel-german

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/23/us-germany-usa-spying-idUSBRE99M0Y720131023

Looking for others.

[Eupher]

I thought it was Bush that did all the damage. /DUModeOff

From the article:

The White House may soon face other irked heads of state and government. The Guardian said it saw a confidential memo suggesting the NSA monitored 35 world leaders' communications in 2006.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2475792/Angela-Merkel-leads-anger-Obama-US-spying-EU-summit.html#ixzz2ikInrA99
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

That puts it right in GWB's lap.

You watch the shuckin' and jivin' now.

[DumbAss Tanker]

The one part of this I find quite hard to believe is that they had to have the numbers given to them on a silver platter by some dweeb at State, that sounds like a cover story for actually having ferreted them out through the application of electronic and signals intelligence techniques.

[NHSparky]

From the article:
That puts it right in GWB's lap.

You watch the shuckin' and jivin' now.

That's fine--but you know what?  It was wrong when it happened under Bush as well.  But Obama is like a ****ing five-year old when caught doing something, trying to deflect blame or at least shift attention by going, "But HE did it too!"

Memo to Obama administration--doesn't matter.  What matters is what are you going to do to STOP it?

[thundley4]

From the article:
That puts it right in GWB's lap.

You watch the shuckin' and jivin' now.

Trusting Obama's Regime as much as I do, I'd want those memos checked every which way from Sunday to see if they are real. 

[NHSparky]

Trusting Obama's Regime as much as I do, I'd want those memos checked every which way from Sunday to see if they are real. 

Okay, and if (and I'm fairly sure) they are real, I think it bears repeating several points:

--So it started under Bush.  Why isn't the Obama administration, or why DIDN'T they stop it?
--If this administration can't keep a secret, what does that say about our credibility?
--And again, what does it say about this administration and either it's stated goal of tearing us down or just being a bunch of bumbling incompetents?

[Eupher]

In all seriousness, I believe that NSA and the rest of the dirt-diggers were merely using the technology available to them. Things like "ethics" and "morals" don't mean much to the codebreakers and the math guys who love a challenge and will keep marching forward until somebody in a higher position tells them to stop.

When it's all said and done, I believe that we will see ample evidence throughout history that the NSA et. al., never really contemplate what and how they're doing - what's important is that they seize and use the current capabilities that are in front of them; and it may very well be that their research into computer science and data collection helps them do just what they've done.

If it happened under GWB's watch, meh. Everybody knows that Bush was ROAD during his last term. His march downwards on the polls meant less and less of a profile for him. Little wonder he didn't do anything about it.

With Barry, on the other hand, it's different. Snowden's whistleblowing has been largely ignored. Had Barry done the honorable thing, he would've come clean about this rather than wait till Snowden's information became public. In short, Barry doesn't have a clue in how to address this kind of thing so he doesn't. And it makes him look worse as a result.

[NHSparky]

And yet as much as I keep telling myself and others that there's a point at which the MSM won't cover for him anymore, I've been saying that for quite some time now.

And no matter what, the lapdogs keep whining at the feet of the administration, and their reward is another kick in the ass, at which they'll whimper a bit, and come back groveling for more.  Bottom line, I'm beginning to seriously thing there is no point at which they'll stop their slavish devotion to Obama.

[Fourwinds]

Way to go "Global Citizen"

[txradioguy]

If Republicans were smart...(a big IF I know)...they'd kick this past W and nail Billy Jeff with it.

I mean it was on his watch that all the email reading technology was developed that was the real opening of Pandora's box that led to the ongoing NSA issues we have now.

[BlueStateSaint]

And now . . .

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-spying-phones-20131029,0,3235295.story#axzz2j7F1rLre

[JohnnyReb]

And now . . .

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-spying-phones-20131029,0,3235295.story#axzz2j7F1rLre

Copied from the above link.....

Any decision to spy on friendly foreign leaders is made with input from the State Department, which considers the political risk, the official said. Any useful intelligence is then given to the president's counter-terrorism advisor, Lisa Monaco, among other White House officials.

....and who headed the State Department for years?.....Who?.....I know you know.....so make a guess.

[Ptarmigan]

And now . . .

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-spying-phones-20131029,0,3235295.story#axzz2j7F1rLre

From the link.

WASHINGTON — The White House and State Department signed off on surveillance targeting phone conversations of friendly foreign leaders, current and former U.S. intelligence officials said Monday, pushing back against assertions that President Obama and his aides were unaware of the high-level eavesdropping.

Professional staff members at the National Security Agency and other U.S. intelligence agencies are angry, these officials say, believing the president has cast them adrift as he tries to distance himself from the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that have strained ties with close allies.

Sounds like Obama knew.

[Fourwinds]

If Republicans were smart...(a big IF I know)...they'd kick this past W and nail Billy Jeff with it.

I mean it was on his watch that all the email reading technology was developed that was the real opening of Pandora's box that led to the ongoing NSA issues we have now.

'

Oh they're plenty smart. The question is do they really care? Much of the old guard seem to be very comfortable with the status quo as long as they get theirs.