US Intel Officials: White House, State Department Signed Off on Surveillance of Foreign Leaders
Upset President Obama now denying knowledge of it
The White House and State Department signed off on surveillance targeting phone conversations of friendly foreign leaders, current and former U.S. intelligence officials said Monday, pushing back against assertions that President Obama and his aides were unaware of the high-level eavesdropping.
Professional staff members at the National Security Agency and other U.S. intelligence agencies are angry, these officials say, believing the president has cast them adrift as he tries to distance himself from the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that have strained ties with close allies.
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The disclosures are not what have strained relations with allies, the actions of the government are what have caused the strain.
And how delusional does a government functionary have to be to expect loyalty from politicians?