What is proportionate in the fight against terrorism?

Question

The US authorities have been given access to a large amount of communication evidence and information on citizens of the EU.
Is it reasonable and proportionate for the US authorities to have access to this information? Or would it be better if rather than one country handling this issue it was dealt with internationally?

Answer 1

when you realise 7/7 doesnt add up and 9/11 is proven to be an inside job then you start to realise why they are doing what you are talking about . the war on terror is a sham .watch this http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=786048453686176230&q=terrorstorm tells you who, how why and for how long.

EXTREMELY VAST SUBJECT.

"Those who choose to give away necesary liberty's for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security"
Benjamin Franklin

Answer 2

The war on terrorism is mainly an Intelligence War, lead by the Intelligence Communities of USA, UK, NATO et al.
Passing intelligence info back to Washington is part of what happens today, just as it did during the Cold War.

The major difference between the Cold War and the present War on Terrorism, is that during the Cold War the Intelligence Community were trying to find out the disposition of Warsaw Pact armies and their targets in the West. In the War on Terrorism, we all know the target. The activity is to determine in which hotel room the bomber his hiding and what his suitcase looks like.

In the business of intelligence gathering, every scrap of information, especially details about citizens, may lead to the capture or killing of those who wish to destroy us.

The USA is far more assertive now than it was during the Cold War. We have no option or choice, but to go along with what the Americans are doing. They are still the only World Power.

Answer 3

Ask yourself this question again once you have lost someone to the ill informed/media hungry/twats that carry out terrorist acts.
The vast vast majority of people in the EU have nothing to fear from security agencies having information on them. It is only a pity that a minority of scumbags act in such a manner that the US requires the info.
I personally don't mind if the security services there have any info about me at all. I've nothing to hide, although I do know and acknowledge that there are others that do not share my view. It is an emotive subject that will split a lot of people into different groups and I believe that we all have to understand the different points of view of innocent people who either don't mind info sharing and those that do. The big problem is that there is a minority whose actions mean that the majority have to concede a few rights in order to control them. If I believe that all my communication information was to be given to the US in order to save one life then wherever that may be then I'd say take it.
How dare one person say their right to privacy (lets face it, unless it interests the security services then it'll be discarded) is more important than anothers right to life then they deserve shot themselves.
Too many people in this world are victims of terrorism due to people's fear of what is being seen by the man. It sickens me to see folks be more annoyed about a keyword search on emails or phone calls than the death of a human being.

Answer 4

It is not reasonable, we have perfectly good counter terrorists agencies in the EU. As the US is a member of NATO, we would be more then happy to warn them of an impending attack on their shores if one was discovered.

I would add that it is more likely the US is using this information for commercial reasons, rather then security.

Finally for those of the nothing to hide, nothing to fear persuasion. May i say this, under English Law, one is presumed innocent till proven guilty by a court of one's peers. Not some civil servant or foreign power. As such i am innocent and the US government has absolutely no right to spy on me or my fellow countrymen.

Answer 5

what gives them the right to be snooping about collecting information about us, when they can`t do it in there own country
its this sort of interfering and thinking they`re in charge of the world that causes terrorism in the first place.who`s to say what they they would use the information for If i had to choose i would chance my luck with the terrorists any day . nowhere near the number of people get kidnapped ,tortured or killed by them as do by America

Answer 6

Privacy must not be sacrificed for anti-terrorism because the government could stop without intruding into the private information of citizens.

Answer 7

People are being deliberately subjected to fear propaganda to scare them into surrendering hard fought freedoms and the basic right to anonymity.

Anyone that's aware of political corruption and history knows there is something deeply wrong with the state's lust for swinging power away from us and over to them

People like "uncle carrot" who recycle the absurd cliché of "nothing to hide / nothing to fear" are dangerously naive.

Do you have curtains in your house?

Can I read your doctors record?

Can I follow you around all day taking your picture?

Can I install a CCTV camera in your bedroom & broadcast it?

Would you type out how much you earn and every bill & purchase for last month in response to me?

No???? Well, you've got something to hide then!!


I've got nothing to hide, so leave me alone & respect my privacy!!!

Answer 8

The only proportion I believe is good is for all of American enemies to be dead and all Americans to be protected from terrorist scum. I don't trust other countries to handle the information you are talking about.