No foreign leader was more loyal to President George W. Bush than British Prime Minister Tony Blair when it came to fighting terrorism and supporting the Iraq war. So it’s awkward at best to learn that, according to former communications intercept operator David Murfee Faulk, U.S. intelligence had a database on Blair that extended to his private life, contrary to a long-standing U.S.-British agreement not to spy on each other. Faulk said he also heard “pillow talk” phone calls between Iraq’s first interim president, Ghazi al-Yawer, and his then-fiancee. A spokesman for the National Security Agency told ABC News that the agency follows all laws. The reader reaction in the British newspapers included this comment from Times Online: “Ah, so that’s why he went along with the Iraq invasion.”
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15 Comments
Nice way to treat a friend.
This should not be a surprise it is known for sometime now that friend’s spy on friends. Israel on more than one occasion has been found to be spying on the United States. In a mindset where everyone is out to get you and the enemy does not wear a uniform and carry a banner. Then everyone is the enemy and no one is a friend.
writerdog: Friends of the US no longer share their sensitive intelligence concerned it will show up on the front pages of the right wing media trying to justify anothers stupid American foreign policy adventure. We call it leaks, they call it unforgiveable.The withholding of that information so freely shared in the past is a real casualty of the Bush treatment of supposed friends and allies. No wonder the real and genuine dislike for the US is so widespread, far beyond what we call enemy states.
Spying on allies is nothing new. Sometimes one catches a spy or saboteur in the midst of their allies and warn them in advance.
Wake up and smell the coffee?
Allies have been spying on each other forever…and been embarrassed when caught…forever…
Bush spied on American citizens, probably British one too.
No wonder he saw Putin as a soul mate.
But spying on Tony Blair, when this man was the most loyal foreign leader to George W. Bush? Blair even lost his own political life because of Bush and this is how Bush repays that loyalty?
Besides, if there is a long-standing agreement not to spy on each other, then wasn’t George W. Bush showing his blatant paranoia by allowing this spying on Blair?
I have stated before that I would like to know the real feelings of the global leaders about George W. Bush. I also have to wonder if there will be a big party when Bush is finally gone?
“Bush spied on American citizens, probably British one too.
No wonder he saw Putin as a soul mate.”
No “siht”! We have become that which we feared.
I bet with or without party, we’ll hear the truth sometime after shrub is safely tucked away in Paraguay.
Heheheh. I wonder if Obama will begin his inaugeral address by saying “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over”?
Can you believe he might quote Jerry Ford?
REgular – Wake up and smell the coffee?
Couldn’t the same be said about you and the Rush Right-Wing-Wacko Koolaid?
“ksfarmgrrl
Posted November 26, 2008 at 9:48 am | Permalink
…sometime after shrub is safely tucked away in Paraguay.”
I am familiar with the area where Bush bought the land for his hideout… ’safety’ is definitely subjective in that part of the world.
I guess there are probably plenty of Haliburton soldiers that will be looking to lay low in a non-extradition country for a while too. Bush should be able to hire a couple hundred to guard his estancia.
Nobody cares.
Business as usual.
I really love this Internet source .. http://www.hischannel.com/vodtv.php .. (you might have to do a quick download) . . . . You all have a very blessed Thanksgiving and may God watch over all on the roads and highways .. drive careful . . .
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:” . . . . . George Washington 1789
Of course Bush had to spy on the British! He had no idea where General Cornwallis might attack us.
Every nation has particular and peculiar vested interests in global international relations. Of course we spy on each other. We don’t tell each other everything, so we have to. Israel has had a very aggressive intelligence gathering operation in the United States for a very long time. It’s probably a lot easier to gather intelligence from the United States than it is from England. But, if my memory serves me correctly, British Intelligence was spying on members of its own Parliment just a couple of years ago. It’s a matter of fact. It’s the way things are done. No one is surprised by it and no one gets terribly offended by it.