Now Denmark is also on the unofficial list of countries that are allegedly treated as enemies by officially friendly countries. Germany's northern neighbor apparently helped the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States of America to monitor the electronic communications of top German politicians between 2012 and 2014: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (who in the meantime became President ) and the social democratic candidate for the position of chancellor in the 2013 elections, Per Steinbrik.
It has long been known that they spied on Merkel and Steinmeier. Thanks to Edward Snowden. The data he revealed in 2013 caused outrage around the world. It has always been clear that the secret services of democratic countries are not harmless singing societies. But the extent of the unscrupulousness also stunned political "heavyweights" such as Angela Merkel. Her reaction: "Eavesdropping among friends is impossible," has long since become a popular saying. But in reality, anything is possible - espionage knows no borders, neither geographical nor moral.
Tighter control of the secret services
One can still be appalled at the extent to which the American secret service NSA or the German BND lead an independent life. But since we know what Snowden revealed to us, that understandable human reaction seems naive. It would be much more important if the responsible politicians in Germany, Denmark or any other country based on the principle of separation of powers finally put the secret service under much better control. But hardly anyone mentions it.
In Germany, it is true that a parliamentary inquiry committee dealt with the NSA/BND scandal for years, but the result was scandalous and shameful. The reform ended up legalizing the illegal wiretapping practice pointed out by Snowden. Fortunately, in Germany, one can rely on the Constitutional Court, which prevented this hoax in 2020.
Scandal: Snowden in Russian exile
Whoever wants to understand how the USA, Germany and democratic Europe think in the case of the secret services, must remember the fate of the American whistleblower Edward Snowden. After disclosing his incredible knowledge, he lives in exile in Russia. That Kremlin master and former KGB intelligence officer Vladimir Putin has to protect Snowden is testament to how pathetic the West as a whole is in this case.
Unfortunately, there is nothing, but absolutely nothing, to suggest that the whole thing will change anytime soon. Namely, the opponents of the thirty-seven-year-old American whistleblower on both sides of the Atlantic are unique - in their eyes, he is a traitor. This is what former US President Barack Obama thought, during whose tenure Snowden's revelations were made public. And the current US president, Joe Biden, has the same attitude.
A culture change is needed
However, it is not recorded that such harsh words were used for the whistleblower by victims of American spying such as Angela Merkel, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and others. But that's what the former head of German intelligence, Hans-Georg Masen, was saying.
People like him and their image of an unchecked secret service are what stand in the way of changing the culture in that milieu. As long as they have enough support from legislators and governments, it will remain that way. Only when that changes can Edward Snowden end his controversial exile in Russia.
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