Former NSA chief Hayden apologizes to Germans, but not for spying
Source: Deutsche Welle
Michael Hayden has issued an apology to Germans in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel. Yet he said he had no regrets about the NSA's surveillance practices, only that the group failed to keep its actions secret.
The former NSA director Michael Hayden told this week's Der Spiegel that attending the recent Munich Security Conference made him realize how much value German people place on their privacy.
"I admit that we Americans did not just underestimate the effects on the chancellor, but rather on the whole German population," Hayden said. "Perhaps the Germans have some different sensibilities because of their history. During the Munich Security Conference I sensed that the Germans regard their privacy in a similar way that we Americans see perhaps the freedom of speech or religion."
In an interview with DW during the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, Hayden had also mentioned how he was struck by "the depth of feeling" on the issue.
Germans retain comparatively fresh memories of oppressive secret police services, first under Adolf Hitler and then in former Communist East Germany. Parliamentarians in the Bundestag this week unanimously approved launching a special parliamentary inquiry into the extent of NSA espionage.
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Read more: http://www.dw.de/former-nsa-chief-hayden-apologizes-to-germans-but-not-for-spying/a-17515696
Pholus
(4,062 posts)But just the same let me get the proctoscope lubed up...
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)And only the germans are sensitive to this. It's as if the fourth amendment does not exist.
Fuck you Hayden!
grasswire
(50,130 posts)And it also is a slap at Germans, reminding them of their special history.
Pholus
(4,062 posts)But instead we have to trust Hayden and his ilk to collect it all yet not be petty enough to try to use words that offend them to extract revenge.
Yet I see no evidence that they're any less petty than old J. Edgar himself.
Response to bananas (Original post)
christx30 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)What about all the other counties who were listening in on Merkel's cell phone?
I'm just askin'...
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)This is the same jack ass that did not know the 4th amendment even though he had taken an oath to protect it.
Arrogant to the core.
When will these out of control agencies like the NSA, CIA, etc. be shut down?
pragmatic_dem
(410 posts)but what Hayden really, really hates about Germany is their health care system, low rate of violent crime, robust manufacturing and high tech sector, high standard of living and banking regulations.
Clearly, they can't be trusted.
RC
(25,592 posts)Way to go there Mike. What else are you missing, besides understanding our Constitution, that is?
uriel1972
(4,261 posts)What a piece of work.
Just like any other criminal.
Not sorry he did the crime. Just sorry he got caught.