Medal of Freedom for Tennet, phone taps for IAEA chief.

  • Thread starter wasteofo2
  • Start date
In summary: He said that the US was one of the few countries that had not apologized for the practice. This is nothing new, and it's not just the UN.
  • #1
wasteofo2
478
2
Does this strike anyone else as horribly weird?

This Sunday, it was reported by the Washington Post, and picked up by every other major news organization (even Fox News), that the Bush administration had been recording phone conversations between the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed ElBaradei. ElBaradei contradicted the Bush Administration's assertation that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction before the war began, and it turns out he was right. Now the Bush administration is spying on him, trying to find some damning evidence to kick him out of office, but none was found. The conclusion that all the news organizations came to was that the Bush administration was just playing vindictive politics.

This isn't some wild moveon.org conspiracy theory, this was the conclusion that Fox News echoed this Sunday for hours, as well as seemingly everyone else in the media.

Meanwhile, back in the States, Bush gives George Tennet the Medal of Freedom. :eek:

The guy who contradicted the Bush administration but was wrong is being spied on in an effort to be booted from his position. However, the guy from the Bush administration who supplied most of the faulty information that lead to this mess of a war gets the highest award a civilian can get.

Is there any explaining this?
 
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  • #2
wasteofo2 said:
Is there any explaining this?
In a word: Democracy

This is by no means unique to Bush, or to any government anywhere that I can think of, and it certainly isn't the frist time they've (the bush admin that is) tried to kick out someone for not supporting a policy, that's how politics is, usually it works.
 
  • #3
This is a new step, now they can do this kind of things and tell us in our faces... and we can't do anything about it... i wonder how many things fox news haven't say... it scare me...
and it's a shame... becouse if fox news or one of the 7 corporations that manage 90% of usa media (Ministery of truth) doesn't say it, then it's a conspiracy theory...
 
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  • #4
wasteofo2 said:
Does this strike anyone else as horribly weird?
On another note I find it horribly weird that a "medal of freedom" even exists, what a soppy romantic-american name.
 
  • #5
Burnsys said:
becouse if fox news or one of the 7 corporations that manage 90% of usa media (Ministery of truth) doesn't say it, then it's a conspiracy theory...
accually many times something FOX does say is regarded as a 'conspiracy theory' because of the whole 'liberal media' myth.
 
  • #6
And the only people who care so far aren't even Americans...
 
  • #7
...four...more...years...
 
  • #8
Smurf said:
On another note I find it horribly weird that a "medal of freedom" even exists, what a soppy romantic-american name.

President Kennedy introduced the Medal of Freedom and he gave it to leading scholars, artists, and scientists. Subsequent presidents have debased it to the level of a Kentucky Colonelship for political cronies.
 
  • #9
wasteofo2 said:
And the only people who care so far aren't even Americans...

becouse we are the ones who most sufer america's foreing policy
 
  • #10
Smurf said:
In a word: Democracy
... that's how politics is, usually it works.

Don't kick the baby out with the bathwater. Democracy has nothing to do with it, and even politics can be clean (in theory at least). Any government can be corrupt, regardless of how they were voted it.
 
  • #11
The phone taps are nothing new. It's quite well known that Britain and the US have been tapping phone lines of most top UN officials. Kofi Annan said in an interview, a couple of years ago, that he discusses sensitive stuff only in public places.
 

1. What is the Medal of Freedom and why was it given to Tennet?

The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award presented by the United States government. It is given to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. Tennet, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, received the Medal of Freedom in recognition of his leadership during the September 11 attacks and his efforts to prevent future terrorist attacks.

2. What are phone taps and why were they used on the IAEA chief?

Phone taps, also known as wiretapping, is the practice of intercepting and monitoring telephone conversations. The IAEA chief, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, was subjected to phone taps as part of a surveillance program by the United States government. This was done to gather information on potential threats to national security, such as nuclear proliferation.

3. Is it legal to use phone taps on a foreign government official?

The legality of using phone taps on a foreign government official is a complex issue. In general, the United States government can legally conduct surveillance on foreign targets, including government officials, as long as it is deemed necessary for national security purposes and is authorized by the appropriate authorities. However, there are international laws and treaties that govern the use of surveillance on individuals, and any actions taken must adhere to those laws.

4. Are there any ethical concerns surrounding the use of phone taps on the IAEA chief?

The use of phone taps on the IAEA chief raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding privacy and the potential violation of international laws. Critics argue that the IAEA chief, as a foreign government official, should not be subjected to surveillance without their knowledge or consent. However, proponents argue that the potential national security benefits outweigh any ethical concerns.

5. What impact could the use of phone taps on the IAEA chief have on international relations?

The use of phone taps on the IAEA chief could have a significant impact on international relations. It could potentially damage trust and cooperation between the United States and other countries, especially those whose officials may also be subjected to surveillance. It could also lead to diplomatic tensions and affect the ability to work together on issues such as nuclear proliferation. However, it ultimately depends on the reaction of the affected countries and how the situation is handled by the United States government.

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