Snowdon is a dummy

Really, Oliver5. Can't you come up with a better parallel? A man should ALWAYS have the woman's permission before indulging. Case closed!

When it comes to spying, what can one say, except this is another ballgame altogether. ALL COUNTRIES DO IT; that doesn't mean because countries know its probably being done that they like being invaded. When the spying is discovered and the news hit the fan, the head of each country feel compelled to speak out FORCEFULLY against the intelligence gathering. Germany knew full well it's also engaged in surveillance and realizes the US knows this. Frankly, a country would not be worth its salt if it did not seek to find out what other countries were up to regarding defense security. In Germany, there was quite an outcry in the media that Chancellor Merkel phone had been listen in on. As a presidential leader of Germany her Security Team has made her aware of this possible type of spying, and how much more sophisticated it has become with this advanced technology....if her technology team did not advise her, then she should replace them with someone more alert. Obama, upon becoming president, had to give up his BlackBerry; the reason being, other countries might be able to listen in on the President of the US. This same policy also should apply to Merkel. She pretended to feign horror that the US, Germany's close ally, would dare eavesdrop on her. Look, let's face reality! This new technology, the ability to spy on other countries, and even their phones, is widespread among western countries. The Russian Federation is located in northern Asia and eastern Europe and it is well advanced in technology. One would have to have their head stuck in the ground not to be aware they're being spied on. To what extent, is another matter.

I'm not sure from where you got/get your informations - they seem to be better than mine.

However, Merkel is our Chancellor (Federal Chancellor - "Bundeskanzlerin" [we always use the female form, if a position is taken by a female], a position similar to a Prime Minister elsewhere. Germany's Federal President's ("Bundespräsident") name is Gauck. And only he's the head of state.

Actually that in not my opinion, just explaining Frank's opinion. I seem to do that a lot.

My opinion is spying is a necessary evil, but it should be safeguarded more than it perhaps is and we shouldn't spy on our allies leaders as it does seem to cause more harm than good and I am not sure what we need to know we could not know by asking. Not even sure why we need know our allies defense systems.

No not similar at all. Raping is illegal, spying is not.

Thanks for the clarification, Walter Hinteler. I know Merkel is Germany's Chancellor but the name "Bundeskamzlerin" is totally new to me. I know a few words in French but none in German.

Are you saying that Ms Merkel, although Chancellor is not head of state?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chancellor_of_Germany

Today, the Chancellor is widely considered to be the country's effective leader.


"In German politics the Chancellor is equivalent to that of a prime minister in many other countries. The German term directly equivalent to Prime Minister, Ministerpräsident, is used for the heads of government of most German states (referred to in German as Länder, literally "countries") as well as foreign countries.

"The current Chancellor is Angela Merkel, who is currently serving her third term in office. She is the first female chancellor, thus being known in German as Bundeskanzlerin. That particular word was never used officially before Merkel, but it is a grammatically regular formation of a noun denoting a female chancellor.

"The modern office of Chancellor evolved from the position created for Otto von Bismarck in the North German Confederation in 1867; the Confederation evolved into a German nation-state with the 1871 Unification of Germany. The role of the Chancellor has varied greatly throughout Germany's modern history. Today, the Chancellor is widely considered to be the country's effective leader."

That's not only what I'm saying that's what she is

The Federal Government consists of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers; the Chancellor determines and is responsible for the general guidelines of policy. ( Article 64 of the Basic Law)

The Federal President is not a member of the government but the head of state. (Articles 54 to 61 of the Basic Law)

"Considering" something is certainly okay, by wikipedia or "widely".
However, she/he can't do anything else as what our constitution(aka 'Basic Law') says.

But your question was about "head of state".

Walter has already said that Chancellor is equivalent to prime minister.

How naïve of you... Spying IS illegal. That's why spies are sent to jail when caught.

It goes beyond naivety, Rev makes a lot strange allegations based on what's going on in her head. I'm sure she's very sweet, but she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

What the hell spying is not illegal!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of an interesting idea given how many men are locked into small Federal cells for decades at a time at this very moment or for that matter how many had been shot for doing so in US history and most other nations history for that matter.

Yes indeed spying is illegal.

I think it's an EXCELLENT metaphor. If the NSA found a way to rape each and every German woman each night in their sleep, you guys would be here saying things like: "Hey, I know raping is bad but let's face it: men will rape women, and everybody does it. Some German men have raped American women... The NSA also rapes each and every American woman at night... and there's nothing you can do about it with this new technology. Why don't you use some Vaseline and move on?"

In the US it is not illegal.

Look up the Patriot Act for the US for section 215. Key words to look for would be "tangible things."

Just do it in the US then...

LOL Snowden will be happy to know that..........To say nothing of the former FBI agent Robert Hanssen who now should be released.

You and Oliver are much smarter than Rev. One can tell by your insulting posts that are used to primarily put down people who disagree with you two geniuses.

Depends on if you are spying for or against. And if you are caught in the country you are spying on. Once again what is illegal in one country is legal if done at the instigation of that same country.