United States complains after German helicopter photographs the roof of American embassy

[David Krout]

AP excerpt:

Separately, an incident in which a German police helicopter was used to photograph the roof of the American consulate in Frankfurt has caused a minor diplomatic incident between the two countries.

German magazine Focus reported Sunday that U.S. Ambassador John B. Emerson complained about the overflight, which German media reported was ordered by top officials after reports that the consulate housed a secret espionage site.

A U.S. embassy spokesman downplayed the story, saying "the helicopter incident was, naturally enough, the subject of embassy conversation with the Foreign Ministry, but no demarche or letter of complaint about the incident was sent to the German government."

http://news.yahoo.com/report-nsa-access-most-smartphone-data-095553384.html

I agree with the complaint. Countries should not be spying on each other.

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Countries should spy on each other

They shouldn't spy on their own citizens.

[99th_Monkey]

4. From whence do you dredge up a "should" in relation to Spy v. Spy.

I know anyone over 50 grew up with the Spy v. Spy comic characters in our heads,
Soviet Block v. USA/UK in the headlines; but still .. we "should" spy on one another?

Upon what ethical or moral imperatives do you base this claim?

[Jesus Malverde]

6. There is a ethical or moral imperative to protect your nation

It makes sense to monitor the world to see whats going on politically and economically to protect the interests of Americans citizens.

I think the "interests" of the citizenry is unfortunately confused with the "interests" of the multi national corporation, that, not the monitoring is the problem.

[99th_Monkey]

7. But once huge permanent Guv-mint Institutions are created in secret

funded by "black budgets" that are secret, etc. etc. one thing leads to
another, and it all leads to where we are now. Look where it leads, it's
nowhere good.

I defy you to find anywhere in sacred texts of any organized religion or
spiritual sect (except perhaps the Church of Satan) where deception,
spying, lying, torturing, assassinating random "evildoers", etc. is all
declared to be all "moral" or "ethical".

[The Straight Story]

9. It is quite simple really:

If you or I spy on our government, we go to jail. So they use that to hide many things from us they should not.

If another country spys on our government and releases that info nothing happens to them. So we spy back on our government by proxy making the circle complete....they don't trust us and spy on us, we don't trust them and use someone safe from jail to spy on them.

[99th_Monkey]

10. Yes. it's "simple", simple lunacy.

imho of course.

My post was about "moral & ethical" foundations for such behavior,
not about "what makes sense". These two are often at odds.

Please see: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3624441

[djean111]

2. Is the embassy blurred out on Google Earth? n/t

[Rex]

3. Countries love spying on each other.

Kinda a fact.

[malaise]

5. Spy versus spy

You read their mail they take aerial photos.

Give me a break please!!

[FarCenter]

8. If they flew over the Embassy grounds, then they violated US airspace.

If they flew adjacent to the Embassy grounds, then we have no cause to complain.