from the You-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours dept.
Yet another Snowden report shows that a total of 33 countries assist the NSA in intercepting internet traffic in addition to the usual suspects, the Five Eyes (US, CA, GB, AU, NZ).
Further, transnational 'partnerships' also take part in the highly secretive operation called RAMPART-A, these are: AFSC (Afghanistan SIGINT Coalition), NATO, SSEUR (SIGINT Seniors Europe), and SSPAC (SIGINT Seniors Pacific).
As the cooperation may be quite controversial, if found out by the participating nations' populations, agreements are made by the partners in crime to disallow the spying on its own and US citizens (with exceptions). However, one participating country may spy on another, effectively creating what Snowden refers to as a 'bazaar'.
The surprising part of this 'revelation' (as if we didn't suspect it for a long time already) is the list of accomplices, though it lacks the (at least overt) inclusion of South American countries, China and Russia.
(Score: 2) by Horse With Stripes on Friday June 20 2014, @11:23AM
Only 38* countries are working with/for the NSA? They better get off their asses and sign up a few more countries, STAT! Maybe the NSA should ask the spammers, malware providers and even the Craig's List "make money for free, just sign up here!" affiliate gurus on how to leverage their sheer volume and technological muscle to sign up more "friends" out there in the world.
Oh, and just because they only found 38* countries, that doesn't mean there are only 38* countries doing it. Remember, when it comes to the actions of the State, they are innocent until caught redhanded ... and admit it ... and then lose an election because of it.
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* 37 since the NSA doesn't spy on us in the US ;-)
(Score: 3) by DrMag on Friday June 20 2014, @12:39PM
Of course, then they get signed on to a lucrative book deal. </pessimist>
(Score: 4, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Friday June 20 2014, @02:44PM
The criminals in DC must be brought to justice, and it's regular American citizens who need to do the bringing. All of that city has become so lawless, and openly contemptuous of the law, that we cannot expect them to police themselves. They must be severely reminded that we are a free people, not their feudal subjects.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Friday June 20 2014, @03:24PM
In my submission I had a question mark right after the disambiguation/expansion of the abbreviation.
However, I'm very much unsure, whether the Afghanistan Signals Intelligence Coalition is the correct term, as the only (meaningful) source was on that blog.
There are a few other possibilities [lmddgtfy.net], so I'm unsure of the correct meaning and would appreciate if someone could confirm it with a more reliable source.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Friday June 20 2014, @03:26PM
Uh... Obviously, the topic should have been with the proper word order ; )
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Friday June 20 2014, @04:53PM
WOOT! Yeah, Canada!
Errr.... ooops. Sorry.... bad Canada, no pot pie for you!
Sorry. Sorry.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---