It's things like this that give me hope.
This Is Like the 'Cold War': Europe Fumes Over US Spying
European leaders warned on Monday that claims the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) bugged European Union (EU) offices and hacked into its computer network could derail major trade talks, as the controversy over U.S. spying snowballed.
Germany's foreign ministry summoned the U.S. Ambassador to seek clarification and German Chancellor Angel Merkel will also discuss the issue with President Barack Obama, her spokesman said.
Even better
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/o...oved-obama-now-we-dont-trust-him.html?hp&_r=0
Given our history,
we Germans are not willing to trade in our liberty for potentially better security. Germans have experienced firsthand what happens when the government knows too much about someone. In the past 80 years, Germans have felt the betrayal of neighbors who informed for the Gestapo and the fear that best friends might be potential informants for the Stasi. Homes were tapped. Millions were monitored.
Although these two dictatorships, Nazi and Communist, are gone and we now live in a unified and stable democracy, we have not forgotten what happens when secret police or intelligence agencies disregard privacy. It is an integral part of our history and gives young and old alike a critical perspective on state surveillance systems.
And it gets even better
Francois Hollande tells the US to stop eavesdropping on Europe if it wants progress on trade deal - Telegraph
President Francois Hollande threatened to block negotiations on a transatlantic free trade treaty yesterday as European leaders rounded on the US over revelations that America spied on its allies.
“We cannot accept this kind of behaviour between partners and allies,” Mr Hollande said. “We ask that this immediately stop. There can be no negotiations or transactions in all areas until we have obtained these guarantees, for France but also for all of the European Union, for all partners of the United States.”
Germany also backed Mr Hollande’s threat to freeze talks launched last month at the G8 summit on $100 billion a year free trade talks between Europe and America stating that “mutual trust” was a necessary basis of negotiations.
I am particularly pleased by the Germans giving an echo to Ben Franklin.