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U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

reuters.com

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Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#381

Post by tingletech »

napmo wrote: post #375
foolfoolz wrote: post #350

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this angle seems really out dated. the us alliance with israel is not about religious reasons. israel is the one democratic state in a region that mostly has our enemies. israel is a military power. we have strategic interests in maintaining the middle east political bloc imagine if this headline read france instead. we would react similarly

The whole point of your comment is wrong. Israel may be considered a democracy, but only for the so-called "chosen people"; This so-called democracy which is based on racial purity and militarism is in fact a form of fascism, and not a democracy in any way. And the main reason for some of the countries in the middle east to become enemies of the US is the blind support of US for the Israel to occupy the land of Pales…

right, like was South Africa a democracy during apartheid?

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#382

Post by yyyk »

runarberg wrote: post #362
jacobolus wrote: post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Israel is a third rail in US politics. One significant faction of the GOP is millenarian evangelical Christians who (a) believe the Israeli state is a necessary precursor to armageddon and (b) have spent the past 2 decades trying to conflate “Muslim” with “terrorist”. The Democratic party includes as part of its coalition many American Jews who, despite frustration with the human rights abuses of the Israeli governme…

I know this is what the up-vote button is for. But I do want to add a redundant comment appreciating this explanation. It explains this adequately in three short paragraphs. The second paragraph is worth expanding from a little. As it can be argued that fear of anti-antisemitism among the left is well warranted. A good example of that is Jeremy Corbin constantly being accused of anti-antisemitism for criticizing the…

>Jeremy Corbin constantly being accused of anti-antisemitism for criticizing the state of Israel

A 2 minute web search:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/may/01/jeremy-corbyn-r...

"Before becoming Labour leader he called 1902 book containing antisemitic tropes ‘brilliant’.

Jewish leaders have written to Jeremy Corbyn to express “grave concern” and demand an explanation after it emerged he wrote a glowing foreword for a century-old political tract that includes antisemitic tropes."

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/23/corbyn-crit...

"Labour leader offered support on Facebook in 2012 to artist whose work featured antisemitic tropes"

https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/jeremy-corbyn-blamed-zionist-l...

"By the time Mr Corbyn was writing, Mr Salah's comments were well documented..."

It's possible to criticize Israel while not allowing antisemitic bigotry. It's the smart thing to do for someone trying to advance a political cause.

However, if one does it again and again, even on instances not involving Israel at all, people will start to take notice.

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#383

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

freeflight wrote: post #331

If this was a Russian/Iranian/Chinese company, we'd already have a news conference by the US DoS, declaring sanctions, freezing assets, and calling for an international coalition to contain the rogue state that's threatening world peace. But this is a Israeli company, so it's just another "scandal" that scrolls trough the news feed, it will be forgotten by next week, to be completely memory holed by next year.

> In a remarkable breach with Israel over one of its most successful technology companies, the Biden administration on Wednesday blacklisted the NSO Group, saying the company knowingly supplied spyware that has been used by foreign governments to “maliciously target” the phones of dissidents, human rights activists, journalists and others.

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#384

Post by neximo64 »

freeflight wrote: post #331

If this was a Russian/Iranian/Chinese company, we'd already have a news conference by the US DoS, declaring sanctions, freezing assets, and calling for an international coalition to contain the rogue state that's threatening world peace. But this is a Israeli company, so it's just another "scandal" that scrolls trough the news feed, it will be forgotten by next week, to be completely memory holed by next year.

Well Israel is a US ally that serves US interests, namely it is by the Suez canal one of the busiest shipping lanes on earth. One could argue that there is a lot of political support for Israel in the US but it really comes down to geopolitical interest.

The others, Russia is a US adversary as it seeks to challenge the US order without Russia in it. Iran is a geopolitical adversary, simply because Saudi Arabia is a US ally - enemy of enemy is friend. China is on that fine line between adversary and competitor but definitely not an ally.

So of course its not a big deal. The US knows Israel needs US support to maintain security along the canal and broader med.

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#386

Post by NikolaeVarius »

jacquesm wrote: post #363
stjohnswarts wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the European allies spy on the USA, rinse and repeat.

If you can't prove that you probably shouldn't make such unqualified statements. There is plenty of proof for the opposite, afaik none whatsoever for the reverse.

Everyone spies on everyone else.

Reminder that France vacuumed up messages on Enrochat after deploying malware globally, and they have clear text messages from users in any arbitrary country and have not disclosed what they will do with it or what they have.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aza95/how-police-took-over-...

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#387

Post by TimTheTinker »

jacobolus wrote: post #345
sizzle wrote: post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain why that is for us who aren’t well versed in geopolitical issues.

Israel is a third rail in US politics. One significant faction of the GOP is millenarian evangelical Christians who (a) believe the Israeli state is a necessary precursor to armageddon and (b) have spent the past 2 decades trying to conflate “Muslim” with “terrorist”. The Democratic party includes as part of its coalition many American Jews who, despite frustration with the human rights abuses of the Israeli governme…

I'm an evangelical Christian myself, and I think I understand why you characterize us this way, but it's not accurate based on what I know.

Along with those I associate with, I support Jews (and to a lesser extent the modern nation of Israel) only because I serve the God who made the sons of Jacob into a nation in the first place. The modern nation of Israel isn't perfect and my support for being their ally isn't unconditional. It also has nothing to do with end-times (except maybe for the fact that they exist as a nation, which is interesting but mostly inconsequential in terms of religion).

In terms of end-times events, the rise of widespread hatred for my religion is a far more reliable indicator of their proximity...

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#388

Post by jacquesm »

NikolaeVarius wrote: post #386
jacquesm wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can't prove that you probably shouldn't make such unqualified statements. There is plenty of proof for the opposite, afaik none whatsoever for the reverse.

Everyone spies on everyone else. Reminder that France vacuumed up messages on Enrochat after deploying malware globally, and they have clear text messages from users in any arbitrary country and have not disclosed what they will do with it or what they have. https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aza95/how-police-took-over-...

The specific claim here is that EU countries spy on the US. I do not believe they have that capability, so if you have some proof that would come in handy.

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#389

Post by xwolfi »

neximo64 wrote: post #384
freeflight wrote: post #331

If this was a Russian/Iranian/Chinese company, we'd already have a news conference by the US DoS, declaring sanctions, freezing assets, and calling for an international coalition to contain the rogue state that's threatening world peace. But this is a Israeli company, so it's just another "scandal" that scrolls trough the news feed, it will be forgotten by next week, to be completely memory holed by next year.

Well Israel is a US ally that serves US interests, namely it is by the Suez canal one of the busiest shipping lanes on earth. One could argue that there is a lot of political support for Israel in the US but it really comes down to geopolitical interest. The others, Russia is a US adversary as it seeks to challenge the US order without Russia in it. Iran is a geopolitical adversary, simply because Saudi Arabia is a U…

But that whole definition of friends of foe you've given is ridiculous though.

Russia is trying to resist US bullying and european expansionism near its border, Iran revolted against US-selected dictators, and China, the largest country on Earth, doesnt even understand why the US makes any rule in the first place.

I think this inflated US self importance is one of the biggest danger to world stability. This way to see everyone not immediately showing its ass to be sodomized to be an "adversary" is insane.

Israel by your definition very much became an adversary: they wanted to monitor and control US elected officials to guide policies towards its interest. I dont think the "Suez canal" should be more important than the soul of the american democracy, but that, you dont seem to care as much about :D

Re: U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware

#390

Post by FDSGSG »

trasz wrote: post #255
FDSGSG wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are currently around 35000 American service members deployed to Germany.

That's Germany providing its land, for free, to the US. Those forces are not protecting Germany from any existing military danger, they are just projecting US power and protecting its interests.

There are many Germans who would disagree with you, especially among those whose opinions actually matter.
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