Even the closest of allies at times spy on each other but the scale of the NSA spying seems to be massive. PHOTO: FILE
According to the report, the US’s giant National Security Agency (NSA), established amidst the hysteria which followed the 9/11 attacks, collected the second highest volume of intelligence data from Pakistan in March this year, compared with countries around the world. In that month alone, 13.5 billion items of data were collected from Pakistan, with Iran topping the list with 14 billion. Jordan and Egypt followed closely behind. In reality, this means, of course, that through the use of technology, every email, Facebook, Skype or other interaction any of us has over the electronic media can be monitored in Washington. This, of course, is a blatant violation of privacy. The legal position is questionable — President Barack Obama has said the collection of data in this fashion is not unlawful but at least one US senator, Republican Rand Paul, has said that he may mount a legal challenge in the Supreme Court on it. Furthermore, Democrat Senator Shaun Udall has publicly said that the Obama Administration needed to be more transparent.
There are other broader questions here. The fact is that there is no clear unanimity on the US government spying on even its own citizens in such a manner, let alone the rest of the world. Furthermore, the fact remains that all the countries barring Iran, on whose computer networks the NSA engaged in this major snooping — Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt and India — happen to be allies of Washington. Of course, even the closest of allies at times spy on each other and that should come as no surprise but the scale of the NSA spying seems to be massive: in the case of Pakistan, the collection seems to be over 5,200 data items per second!
The matter is a serious one; it cannot be ignored and now that the facts are before us, at the very least, one would like an official response from the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 11th, 2013.
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"Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt and India — happen to be allies of Washington". It shows that to the US their interests are above any ones interests regardless they are foe or friends. NSA is not only collecting electronic data and snooping on foreign countries but also their own citizens. The freedom to speech and association does not mean anything to NSA any more and it is under assault by the current US government , they are taking cover behind the security threat scenario. We the liberals in the US voted for Obama but how wrong were we, he turned out to be the worst President that I know of for the last 49 years in regard to trampling American civil liberties .He has killed more innocent civilians in Pakistan and Afghanistan than his predecessor Bush did and they gave him the Nobel Peace Prize for what, it still baffles me. The good news is that in the USA there always be some one who will stand up for the freedom,liberty and privacy and expose the government's high handedness.Governments usurps extra ordinary powers which they are not entitled to but when the people wake up, resist and stand up to them then they are in retreat and takes cover under the guise of security, and it is precisely what is happening in the US.
@unbelievable:
And what are you going to do about it?. When our country is attacked by you terrorists, we have the right to do whatever we please.!!. Keep on crying about your rights. Noone cares.!!!
Data collection outside the USA has been common knowledge for years - even the Taliban weren't surprised by that disclose. The Guardian article was "news" because it disclosed the USA govt was collecting telephone data on it's own citizens which might violate the Constitution - it should energize a debate in Congress on the pros/cons of the Patriot Act.
The most important aspect is that Snowden is not a crazy mischief-maker and is not a hater of uncle sam; and he is not doing it for money – on the contrary, he has given up his family and a $200,000-a-year job in Hawaii – but says he is motivated by the belief that the United States is sleep-walking towards what he calls “turnkey tyranny”. It appears America, like many other powers, uses methods which do not conform to international agreed methods. Even Angela Merkl has promised to discuss this methodology with Obama; other leaders will follow her lead. America is a democracy, but crosses the line of reason when it comes to national security. It is time it is told clearly from all concerned that nobody has the right to cross that line.