A Quick Thought for European Leaders: Get a Grip

Today’s kerfluffle: Ed Snowden has revealed that, OMG, the US intelligence community collects intelligence from communications in Europe.

• CNN says the European Commission will sweep it’s offices for bugs.
• Germany says it’s “unacceptable“.
• François Hollande threatens that this will interfere with trade talks.

Somehow I can’t help but read that last in Claude Rains’ voice:

If this surprises anyone  in European governments, it’s because someone has somehow elected a moron who doesn’t read his own intelligence.

It’s actually all kabuki of course, or really more like noh theater — lots of exaggerated gestures and overdramatic masks while traditional words are read offstage.

Yes, I’m sure the US intercepts European communications, and Europe does their best to intercept ours, and both of them are trying to evesdrop on Russia, and Russia is trying to listen to everyone else.  That’s the way the game is played.