Republicans Are Damaging US Foreign Relations

It is not just economic damage that Republicans are causing. Their unbelievable arrogance combined with childish ignorance made Republicans say really stupid things on US television this weekend. On "Meet The Press" Representative Peter King not only made up stories about thousands of lives saved by NSA spying, he also felt the need to pretend that eavesdropping on Merkel was somehow excusable because some of the 9/11 terrorists had lived in Germany.

Peter King said:

The reality is that the NSA has saved thousands of lives not just in the United States, but also in France, in Germany and throughout Europe.

 Of course the now that this just isn't true. The NSA might have stopped one or possibly two terrorist plots. It would have been best if the reporter had at that point just cut him off to prevent Mr. King from saying something that would damage the US. "Representative King: Go home; you're drunk." Or something, but he was allowed to continue. After whining about France also spying, he said the following on Germany:

That is where the Hamburg plot began which lead to 9/11. They've had dealings with Iran and Iraq, North Korea, the French and the Germans and other European countries. (sick!)

Really?  Thanks Captain Obvious, but Germany was for a long time the number one exporter worldwide. Germany dealt with every single regime on this planet; and yes this of course includes both the French and the Germans, and even other European countries. Perhaps the NSA should have spied more on President Reagan instead, who not only sold weapons to both Iran and Iraq at the same time, but who also strengthened islamists in Afghanistan from where the 9/11 plot actually originated.

IRA terror freedom fighter supporter King wasn't alone in his quest to further alienate close allies. House "Intelligence" chief Mike Rogers (R) claimed cryptically:

If the French citizens knew exactly what that was about, they would be applauding and popping champagne corks.

Yes, if only the French knew that this was actually about one or possibly two terror plots they would all be rich and drunk. To make things worse Mr. Rogers felt that making up stories, that Fascism in Europe might have been prevented by spying, would somehow support his position. Well, there is a whole network in the US dedicated to showing Hitler 24/7 history. He might want to watch a few shows because Hitler actually did not keep his intentions about Lebensraum im Osten or his hatred of Jews secret. He wrote a book about it, while in prison for trying to overthrow the government.

So, Republicans tried to make excuses for the unacceptable eavesdropping in the US media, likely unaware that Germans have access to the Internet and that newspapers there would just love these soundbites. What are these people thinking? That telling one of your closest ally that you spied on the Chancellor because TERRORISM and AXIS OF EVUL would somehow make sense in the ears of Germans?

Republicans should be aware that treating friends like this might push them away. Yes, Merkel probably knew that she might have been a target of the US. She isn't an idiot, but many other conservatives in Germany actually believed that the US was a friend. That is currently changing. For example Volker Kauder CDU parliamentary group leader said:

America has to give up its super power demeanor towards its partners.

Minister of the Interior Friedrich (CSU) is unaware of German and international laws and thinks that "eavesdropping is a felony and those responsible have to be held accountable." [The G10 law makes it legal for the western WWII winners to spy in Germany and those responsible can claim diplomatic immunity.] This is the person who initially said that those who were against the spying were "naive" and "anti-American".

The stupidity of the Republicans, who are using the dumbest excuses possible, is damaging the US foreign relations. For the sake of the US interests they should keep their mouths shut. Not everyone on this planet is as blissfully unaware of what is happening as a typical Republican voter. These polititicans should also keep in mind that someday there is at least a small possibility that a Republican might become a US President again, whom they already damaging probably before he or she is even born.