The news has come out that the Central Intelligence Agency, created in 1947, and often under attack for its actions, and its illegal doings much of the time, often without knowledge of the President of the United States, has seen its leader in Germany expelled for spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel, including her cell phone.
This action to expel the CIA leader came about without the knowledge of President Barack Obama, and it has caused an embarrassing incident between a friendly nation and the United States.
But it is nothing new for the CIA to go around Presidential control or awareness, and it has been a constant problem, much of it exposed by the Church Committee (headed by Idaho Senator Frank Church) in the mid 1970s!
The CIA is often seen as a shadow government within our government, not accountable to the White House or Congress or the Supreme Court, all in the name of national security.
Thus the National Security Agency and 15 other spy agencies have a budget that is not public knowledge, and we have learned that they are eavesdropping on ordinary Americans in the quest to keep our nation secure, but worrying civil liberties advocates tremendously.
The most interesting revelation coming out of the expose of the German situation is that only four nations, all English speaking, do not have CIA spying going on in their nations–Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand!
So even such allies as Israel, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, among others, are being spied upon regularly!
Excellent piece by Chuck Schumer concerning the latest fight between Israel and Hamas.
http://nypost.com/2014/07/15/there-is-no-moral-equivalency-between-israel-and-hamas/
@ Southern Liberal
The comments in response to this AlterNet article are exactly what Schumer is warning about.
http://www.alternet.org/comments/news-amp-politics/florida-congresswoman-sides-israeli-police-over-her-own-brutalized-teenage#disqus_thread
I’m always appalled to see that on progressive sites.
Thanks, Southern Liberal and Pragmatic Progressive, for the articles. The anti Israeli sentiment is troubling and very alarming!
@Pragmatic Progressive
That’s why I prefer to read the Professor’s blog.
Comments on CNN seem more balanced.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/16/world/meast/mideast-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Yes, Princess Leia, CNN seems to be working at being more balanced than they have been.
However, it is worrisome that Rupert Murdoch has been trying to buy Time Warner, which owns CNN. If that happened, then the media would have a fatal blow to fairness.
That’s the thing I noticed too Leia. More people in the discussion at CNN who are fighting the anti-Semitic remarks.
Excellent piece explaining why anti-Semitics come out of the woodwork in response to articles about Israel, especially when an article is critical of Israel’s policies.
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Anti-Semitism-in-left-wing-online-media
Pragmatic Progressive, I join you and others in denouncing any so called “leftist”, who claims to be a progressive-liberal, but promotes anti Semitism, or calls for the destruction of Israel!
Just heard about that commercial jet that went down where Ukraine and Russia have been at odds with each other. Some news reports are saying it was shot down by a missile. Condolences to the families of this horrible tragedy. 🙁
NBC News website said this crash has come on the anniversary of TWA 800.
Looks like Russia is trying to get back at us for the new sanctions.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/17/technology/security/nasdaq-hack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Israel is launching a ground operation into Gaza.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/17/world/meast/mideast-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Interesting. That hack on the stock market was done 4 years ago.
The thing I’ve noticed with the anti-Semitics is that they spout off foolish notions that the Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin and that all mainstream media lies like Fox News.
I’ve noticed that too Southern Liberal. They sound just as loony as the Tea Party.
This plane incident is another reason why I am so thankful we don’t have a trigger-happy Republican for President.
After it was found that the CIA spied on Congress, any decent congressman would’ve submitted a bill to immediately abolish the C.I.A. Unfortunately, Ron Paul is no longer in the house.