US indicts Brit bloke over backdoor blagging of US troops' data

Re: You can already hear the defence

perhaps peter sutcliffe could appeal on the same grounds? <sarc>

Comparing someone who broke into a few boxes, with the Yorkshire fucking Ripper?

Aye, no wonder you posted anonymously.

Re: You can already hear the defence

Evidently the law only applies to individuals, not to monster spying organizations such as the NSA

Re: AC

""Wait and listen for the vitriol that will come from the other side of the pond about hacking and how illegal access to information should be heavily punished....." If you can't tell the difference between what these idiots were doing and why the NSA "hack" then I can probably interest you in a great family holiday camp investment in Akmolinsk....."

I can see the difference. The NSA illegally hacked into foreign databases, siphoned off information about lots of people, and used the information to further its own interests, and ultimately make money, whereas this guy, erm.

Re: AC

"If you can't tell the difference between what these idiots were doing and why the NSA "hack" then I can probably interest you in a great family holiday camp investment in Akmolinsk...."

At best the NSA hacks for the same reason curious idiots hack -- because it can.

In the middle, the NSA hacks to kill people by targeted drone strikes that sometimes kill grandmothers in front of their grandchildren.

At worst the NSA hacks to disrupt democracy in democratic nations by giving one politician the secrets and strategies of another.

Re: Quite Ironic

Sadly, although there is currently no publicly know proof, I do not doubt you are correct, that the NSA has provided Obama with information on Merkel to keep her quiet.

And if the USA will subvert Germany's democracy this way why would it not subvert other European democracies this way?

*Maybe* this explains how Blair and Cameron got into power and how Blair got re-elected despite widespread British hatred against him. Maybe.

At least this is not as bad as the assassinations the US engaged in during the 1950s and early 60s.

> please stop using the operating systems we make

Yep

> the computer chips we fab

Yep, happy to use the ones the Israelis, Malaysians, Filipinos etc fab for you

>the network we started

If you don't mind not using the packet switching part, or the http/html part that we invented

>and all of that good stuff

Like computers?

The operating systems you make? LOL. That Microsoft thing ? LOL Linux used here sir, and I that was Finish of origin. "The network" was started at CERN, think you'll find Switzerland. LOL. Septic tanks eh?

@David W.

America makes fuck all these days, it's all made in China FYO.

PS I don't use POS US OS's, I use a very good Finnish one.

I don't accept your apology since I don't believe you understand the significance of what is being attempted. Your Secret Service has exceeded its remit of protecting your country from would be aggressive attacks from foreign states and rogue agents and moved into the domain of paranoid control freaks. The aim no more to protect the USA but to ensure the promotion solely of the American brand of Capitalism and America's interests. I make no judgement whether Capitalism is preferable to any other form of governance but attempting to stifle other forms of governance whilst engaging in mass population surveillance is akin to the totalitarian regimes deposed many times over...

@David W.

" you wouldn't want to be hypocrites, right?"

David, whilst we are discussing hypocrisy, please formulate a historically factual sentence using the following words: United States of America, hypocrisy, terrorism, Irish Republican Army.

You wouldn't want to be hypocrites, right?

Apology rejected, please reinsert and try again.

"I humbly apologize on behalf of America to all of those lilly-white, would-never-spy-on-anyone, oh-so wonderful and squeaky clean governments that we've wronged." - I live in France. I expect the French to spy on me if they think I am likely to be a security risk or the like. I do not expect the Americans to be watching me "just because". There is the big difference. The Americans were not keeping tabs on international suspects, they were attempting to keep tabs on everybody everywhere. And for what? To find out I'm a boring single guy who wants to marry a cute Japanese girl? Jeez, that's on my blog! Instead, I think the Americans risk failing to see the forest for the trees. All this spying, all this information, and it did exactly bugger all to stop the DIY bomb at the Boston Marathon (even after, apparently, Russia warned the US about the two involved).

"And if you hate us so much" - I don't hate you, I just now think of you as extremely childish - in other words, you (at least, the perception of "you" as seen through your foreign policy) always want your own way and throw a tantrum when that doesn't happen. The recent "furlough" (I had to look that up in a dictionary) has done very little to improve my perceptions of America. I mean, seriously, aren't you guys embarrassed by all of this?

"by the way, please stop using the operating systems we make" - I'm stuck using iOS on this device. As for the other one, when it is no longer viable to keep XP running, I'll be moving to Linux...which is not American.

"the computer chips we fab" - what would that be? My SD card says "Taiwan" on the back. The big chip in my satellite decoder says "Philippines". The SoDIMM on the shelf says it is Samsung, so probably not made in the US. The iPad Mini I am writing this on says on the back how it is lovingly designed by awesome dudes in California...and Made in China. And that's it, isn't it? Stuff is designed by American companies (Intel and Texas Instruments come to mind), but it is likely actually fabbed somewhere else, most likely for economic reasons (in other words, better for shareholders), but how much tech is uniquely American these days?

"the network we started," - yup, the internet is pretty good, but do be aware that it is a British bloke who took the genesis of a military/educational communications network and made it something that the public might have interest in. YOU made the network, WE made the World Wide Web. (^_^)

"and all of that good stuff." - okay, true, I have a soft spot for root beer (not beer at all) and movies in which Bruce Willis blows up stuff. But, then, I also like Yakitori sauce and Takeshi Kitano. So, it's a bit of everything, from everywhere.

Linux, ARM, CERN. All fine American institutions.

If the USA hates the world so much

@David we can all engage in sophistry and cry baby emotions.

'/Oh you hate us so much, you never let me do anything.' Sounds like a teenage daughter more than a serious political statement.

You really should apologize because the issue is not that other nations spy on enemies or that they wiretape criminals.

The issue is that the USA spies on friends, allies and people accused of no wrongdoing what so ever.

Only bad nations do that. The USA, UK and probably Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and China.

The other 192 nations do not spy on friends, allies and huge masses of innocent people.

I'm with David to a point because I'm tired of a America bashing. All governments spy, all countries have good and bad. Personally we may have some crap gov stuff goin on and we aren't perfect but there are few other places in the world I'd want to visit or live. And the countries and peeps that hate on us the most, I say stop with all the government suck up aid. Let the charitable organizations of the UN and any other independent ones do it cause we haven't been able to buy a friend in years and years.