Though US officials continue to downplay the story, spy scandal after spy scandal in Germany is taking its toil on bilateral relations, and some are saying that this is now the most tense relations have been during the post-war era.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that the spying is unacceptable, but the real story is that she doesn’t believe that, even if the US says they will stop, they actually will.
Expelling the senior CIA representative from Berlin was a big move, but analysts say it is likely only the beginning, as Germany moves into large-scale efforts to root out US spies wherever they can be found.
It’s not just a diplomatic issue in Germany, but potentially a political one, as the nation’s voters are extremely suspicious of government surveillance, whether foreign or domestic, and have been extremely skeptical of the Merkel government’s past moves on US spying, seeing the government as largely complicit in the US surveillance state.
That puts pressure on the Merkel government to act more seriously in the probe of US spying, though it may also convince the State Department that German government interest in the probe is only skin deep, and so long as they can make enough of a show to placate voters, the crackdown likely won’t interfere with overall US surveillance.
As someone living in Germany, I have the impression that the reaction to the US spying is dependant upon Age where the older Generation (who have been taught to believe that Germany has no other Option but to be a 'Friend' of the US) see it as not problematic, but younger People (<45) are more unforgiving and are more prepared to demand that the government 'grow a spine' and actually do something.
One effect which these scandals have had is that more People, at least those which I have met, are starting to doubt the usefullness of NATO and the continued stationing of US Armed Forces on German soil. Either way I thinck that Merkel will be forced to do something since the 'Reasons' that the Media are giving don't realy have the desired affect i.e. – American Surveillance is keeping us safe from Terrorists – since noone realy believes that Germany is a target and that so far all the Terrorist threats have been countered effectivly by the German Police without the help of the US Agencies.
there was talk of her resigning
Time to start kicking out US military bases and watch the US suddenly become respectful real fast.
The US Stasi Security Services have the penetration that the KGB 1945-1989 could have only dreamed of.
It is time for Germany to quit being a colony of the U.S.A..
Merkel needs to prove she is not running a quisling government.