Sometime back when WikiLeaks started spilling beans, there were not many shocking waves across the globe. For the general public, it was just an authentication of long-perceived views about their political leaders how they behave and betray their own people. WikiLeaks especially targeted the Third World leaders’ interaction with a superpower wherein they overlooked their respective nations’ interests. However, what this proclaimed fugitive ex-CIA analyst Edward Snowden is leaking cannot be ignored as it is impacting not only the US citizens but its allies as well. As per Germany’s Der Spiegel, EU offices were bugged by the National Security Agency (NSA). As per a secret document, NSA described all the 38 European embassies and missions in Washington as ‘targets’. Not only the US allies across Atlantic were on target list but also America’s partners in Asia — Japan, South Korea, India and Turkey — were not spared.

Perhaps Americans are trying to adhere to the proverb that everything is fair in love and war. But spying on the loved ones sometimes lead to war — or at least verbal war. Most of the European leaders including those from Germany, France and EU Parliament have outrightly condemned this spying web recalling the days of cold war.

One would understand the anger Americans expressed while blaming China and Russia for conspiring to allow Snowden to travel from Hong Kong to Moscow and onward. But how about the distrust it has earned by spying on friends. We understand that nations can go to any extent to protect their interests but then they shall not lecture the whole world on morality and high values. If not tackled wisely by the Obama administration this may become far uglier than the Watergate scandal. — Masood Khan, Jubail