Wealthy First World Nation Uses Spies to Rip Off Poor Neighbor

[Guest Derek L]

It depends on the "needs" (or more accurately, "interests"). But ripping off poor countries just because you can isn't necessarily always the morally right action. In this case Australia is being an arse. Also, Communism and doing what is ethical aren't the same thing.

So you think OZ ripped them off for shits and giggles?

As to ethical Communism, that's a subjective viewpoint....

[Guest Derek L]

Indeed not. They are pretty close to polar opposites, if anything.

Not if you're a Communist that believes in their own dogma.

[ReeferMadness]

Exploiting a position of power against a weaker and more vulnerable person is definately a mainstay of human ethics and morality. Thats the reason why people find crimes against children by adults so reprehensible, and why your average person will be more outraged if he sees a man beat up a woman, than if he sees a man beat up another man.

The "underdog phenomenon" youre speaking of definately a real and strong component of human ethics, and youll find very few people that are ambivalent about that (and you should probably steer clear of them).

Australia didn't just exploit a position of power. The government broke laws both international and domestic. All to get something that by international convention, they had no entitlement to.

It was a bit like robbing the blind homeless person begging on a street corner and then "negotiating" to split the money.

Edited December 21, 2013 by ReeferMadness

[Jimmy Wilson]

Australia didn't just exploit a position of power. The government broke laws both international and domestic. All to get something that by international convention, they had no entitlement to.

It was a bit like robbing the blind homeless person begging on a street corner and then "negotiating" to split the money.

Corporatists are generally bullies but it takes a special breed of corporatist to be magnanimous and think he's doing the wronged party a favour...

[Argus]

I agree it's pretty outrageous. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon at all. There are many disgusting things that rich countries do to poor countries.

Not just poor countries. Every time anyone suggests foreign nations spy on Canada there's a tendency among many to simply smile smugly, as if the idea is ridiculous and paranoid. After all, who would want to spy on us? We're so unimportant. Yet this shows that even a little country like East Timor has foreign spies trying to gain advantages for their conglomerates. There are tons of foreign spies in Canada doing the same, especially the Chinese, but not excluding the French (who have been very big into economic espionage for a long time) and almost certainly the Americans (despite agreements not to), as well.

[Moonlight Graham]

Not just poor countries. Every time anyone suggests foreign nations spy on Canada there's a tendency among many to simply smile smugly, as if the idea is ridiculous and paranoid. After all, who would want to spy on us? We're so unimportant. Yet this shows that even a little country like East Timor has foreign spies trying to gain advantages for their conglomerates. There are tons of foreign spies in Canada doing the same, especially the Chinese, but not excluding the French (who have been very big into economic espionage for a long time) and almost certainly the Americans (despite agreements not to), as well.

I think most people assume every country is spying on each other. I do. Foreign governments spying on our government is commonplace I'm sure, so I'm less nothered about that stuff. What brings it to a whole new level is when a foreign intelligence entity like the NSA can and does spy on everyday Canadians, and can get away with it far easier than domestic spying. That's something I'd go to war over in order to stop. I hope the Harper gov has laid the verbal smack down on Obama (privately) about that like other western nations have publicly. Possible it hasn't happened since the Harper gov could be in cahoots with the NSA.

[Michael Hardner]

I think the assumption is that US/Canada share such information.

[bush_cheney2004]

I hope the Harper gov has laid the verbal smack down on Obama (privately) about that like other western nations have publicly. Possible it hasn't happened since the Harper gov could be in cahoots with the NSA.

LOL ! PM Harper will/would do no such thing while still begging on his knees for the Keystone XL pipeline. Plus he doesn't want to end up like Diefenbaker after the Rostow Memo:

Following a meeting with Kennedy in May 1961, the Prime Minister discovered a paper left behind by an American advisor. The infamous “Rostow Memo” outlined several desired results that the United States hoped to “push” Canada toward during the meeting. Diefenbaker was livid, as this incident reaffirmed his nagging belief that the United States wished to dominate Canada. The Kennedy camp was equally enraged: Diefenbaker refused to return the memo even though proper diplomatic decorum required him to do so. Their relationship would never fully recover from this incident.

[Moonlight Graham]

I think the assumption is that US/Canada share such information.

They share intelligence, but how much? Maybe the the Canadian gov outsources intelligence work to the NSA etc. and gets the US to spy on us for them.

[Argus]

I think most people assume every country is spying on each other. I do. Foreign governments spying on our government is commonplace I'm sure, so I'm less nothered about that stuff. What brings it to a whole new level is when a foreign intelligence entity like the NSA can and does spy on everyday Canadians,

I would think the Chinese hacking into government computers would be considered of somewhat more importance than the imaginary threat that the NSA might sweep up information about what numbers you called last year and dump it into a never used computer in a hole in the ground.