Europe, Still Angry at U.S. Spying, Prepares to Increase Its Own

It’s been said here often enough that the only scandal is the fake outrage at the NSA and America. This isn’t to say that the espionage never happened, but the reaction is purposely blown out of proportion to steer public opinion. The NSA has worked hand-in-hand with the German government for decades. German law does not permit the state to spy on its own citizens and therefore has contracted with the NSA to do the Bundesnachrichtendienst’s domestic dirty work. The underlying motive for the fake outrage is that Germany’s Fourth Reich, who now has recaptured Europe and established itself as the regional hegemon, wants the United States out. Therefore, you will see overblown and manufactured scandals such as these.

 

Just as the United States is taking a first step toward placating European privacy concerns about U.S. surveillance, several European countries are passing laws dramatically expanding their own spy programs.

The House last month passed the Judicial Redress Act, intended to extend some privacy protections to foreign citizens. Meanwhile, the French Senate just passed one of the broadest international surveillance bills in the world and several other European countries are moving in a similar direction.

France’s triumphant ‘Joan of Arc’ vows to bring back franc and destroy euro

Marine Le Pen is spoiling for a fight. The leader of France’s Front National vows to smash the existing order of Europe and force the break-up of monetary union, if she wins the next election.

It is no longer an implausible prospect. “We cannot be seduced,” she said, brimming with confidence after her party secured 46pc of the vote in a by-election earthquake a week ago. Her candidate trounced the ruling Socialists in their own bastion of Villeneuve-sur-Lot.

“The euro ceases to exist the moment that France leaves, and that is our incredible strength. What are they going to do, send in tanks?” she told the Daily Telegraph at the Front National’s headquarters, an unmarked building tucked away in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. Her office is small and workaday, almost austere.