US spying on its allies

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders are furious over the latest revelations by American whistleblower Edward Snowden of US bugging the Chancellor's phone. German Foreign Minister who summoned the US ambassador to his ministry told the media he had demanded straight answers from Washington, and that the relationship is at stake. Merkel herself talked to President Barack Obama who, of course, denied the allegations, saying the US was not monitoring her calls nor would it do that in future. The issue figured prominently last Wednesday at the EU summit where German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande held a separate meeting to decide a joint response. They have demanded talks with the US specifically on reports that 35 world leaders' phone calls are monitored by the US. Other European leaders have also denounced what they described as "out of control" spying on citizens and governments, especially of friendly countries.
The snooping leaks made by Snowden, the former CIA and US National Security contractor, from his asylum in Moscow are not so new. He had revealed last June in his first release of classified information that the US National Security Agency eavesdropped on EU leaders in their own countries, their embassies in Washington as well as businesses within the EU. European governments had reacted angrily at the time, warning, like at present, that the alleged information, if true, could seriously harm relations and jeopardise the then upcoming negotiations on a transatlantic free trade pact. But nothing much happened afterwards. The talks went ahead. Although the US and its European allies have common political and economic interests, there have been occasions when the two sides did not see eye to eye. Still fresh in public memory are the barbs that flew over the Atlantic between Washington and what the then US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld had called 'old Europe' over attack on Iraq. Subtle policy differences also exist on some of the other issues pertaining to the Middle East. Of immense importance from the US perspective are the terms of a new trade deal still in the works. Which obviously is why it has been monitoring Merkel's phone conversations.
The EU leaders may be angry but they surely understand that spying on friendly countries is not something unusual. Even though they are once again saying it is hard to imagine doing free trade deal with Washington while it spies on them, once again, they would get over the issue and resume business as usual after making some noises about improving their respective intelligence agencies' conduct. As a matter of fact, the French President has already said "what is at stake is preserving our relations with the United States. They should not be changed because of what has happened. But trust has to be restored and reinforced." Indeed, friends need to be trusted. But even among friends self-interest comes first.