U.S. State Department phones hacked with Israeli company spyware • Hacker News Board

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

#421

Post by tthun » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:06 AM UTC

drc500free wrote: post #364

DSingularity wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not purely geopolitical but I think the top 3 factors for this: 1, the most powerful political organization in the US is AIPAC. More powerful than any other lobbyist and can tip the scales in almost any election. 2, the services provided by Israel to support US-backed dictatorships in the Middle East (eg the NSO group) 3, the military industrial complex loves the Israeli customer because they are dependable, rep…

Could you provide a source for AIPAC being the most powerful political organization in the US? That seems surprising given that they spend a fraction of what other lobbying groups do. How is that measured?

> That seems surprising given that they spend a fraction Probably by design to “seem to” spend only small amount of money, so that even people who know how to search on google for key facts won’t immediately see their outsized influence.

From an nytimes article [0] on this topic and lot of anecdotes on fall outs from taking policy positions against israel (not anti-Semitic)

“ Unlike the National Rifle Association, the Human Rights Campaign and other powerful grass-roots advocacy organizations, Aipac, which is bipartisan, does not endorse or raise money for candidates. But its members do, with the organization’s strong encouragement.”

“Traveling to Israel on a trip financed by Aipac’s education arm is practically a rite of passage for freshman members of Congress.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/04/us/politics/aipac-congres...

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

#422

Post by zionic » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:06 AM UTC

throwaway20372 wrote: post #407

zionic wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well Israel is a US ally that serves US interests The US is an Israeli ally that serves Israel’s interests. Our federal intelligence (CIA) and law enforcement agencies (FBI) are subservient to Mossad. The FBI scooped a foreign intelligence operation setup ahead of time to film and celebrate 9/11 and they all walked. The CIA was completely unable to stop foreign assets from fabricating evidence for the Iraq war, ser…

Anti-semetic remarks are never acceptable, we have come so far and progressed so much as a society, we are simple better than this. These types of attacks need to be censored and posters of such, banned. This is a place for everyone of every race and creed to get along, regardless of your feelings about a certain group, who may have some advantages in some fields, many different groups also have advantages in other f…

Let’s be clear, comments critical of the Israeli government are NOT anti-Semitic. In fact, there are plenty of Jews who are critical of the Israeli regime.

The above comment appears to be conflating criticism of the Israeli government with the Jews as a race/religion.

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

#423

Post by OneLeggedCat » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:11 AM UTC

mcbutterbunz wrote: post #253

cwkoss wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine how much society would improve if all the dirt got aired. Hiding this information is trading the wellbeing of the country for the NSA's own internal goals and power.

> Imagine how much society would improve if all the dirt got aired. Depends on the dirt. Some of it might be private and personal stuff, such as infidelity. That type of stuff, while blackmailable, doesn't really benefit the public much.

> That type of stuff, while blackmailable, doesn't really benefit the public much.

Sure it does. There is no longer leverage of whoever is holding that blackmail, who may easily have interests opposite the public.

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

#424

Post by OneLeggedCat » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:13 AM UTC

OminousWeapons wrote: post #295

Eelongate wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The public's elected representatives being easily blackmailable is obviously of great concern to the public, I don't know why you're downplaying this.

Everyone has dirty laundry they would prefer not be aired, and if they don't then their friends, family, or partners do. I don't think we want to live in a world where absolute moral purity (as determined by the most vocal, biased critics of a given person) is required to hold public office.

> I don't think we want to live in a world where absolute moral purity (as determined by the most vocal, biased critics of a given person) is required to hold public office.

Well lucky you, we have the exact 100% polar opposite of that system currently. I think it would be fine to move toward it a little.

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

#425

Post by zionic » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:15 AM UTC

ta988 wrote: post #403

zionic wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well Israel is a US ally that serves US interests The US is an Israeli ally that serves Israel’s interests. Our federal intelligence (CIA) and law enforcement agencies (FBI) are subservient to Mossad. The FBI scooped a foreign intelligence operation setup ahead of time to film and celebrate 9/11 and they all walked. The CIA was completely unable to stop foreign assets from fabricating evidence for the Iraq war, ser…

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/feb/25/blog-posti...

This article is largely false and disingenuous. The right of return is in fact automatic and does not require settlement. You can’t say “well they don’t have citizenship RIGHT NOW” while they can get it instantly whenever they want.

Also, wealthy and powerful congressional representatives that routinely travel to Israel for vacation are not the same as your average person who happens to have x% Jewish DNA.

These people are powerful and privileged, and are routinely the target of hostile foreign intelligence services.

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

#426

Post by sgregnt » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:19 AM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #333

sgregnt wrote: post #318

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow should this comment belong to HN? To me it looks like your comment is very biased and misrepresenting. While you say: > Then there's the time they slaughtered several dozen US navy and NSA personnel with repeated attacks on an unarmed vessel because they didn't like that we were watching them" At the same time the wikipedia article that you linked says: "Both the Israeli and U.S. governments conducted inquiries a…

GP may be simply wrong about some of the facts but you are crossing the HN guidelines in multiple ways at once.

Thank you, I'm sorry for the harsh response and you're right about my phrasing, I improve next time.

But I can hardly see how the quoted part of the OP comment maybe explains by

> simply wrong about some of the facts

to me it seems that OP comment was just pushing for agenda using some hyperbole and hate.

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

#427

Post by monocasa » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:19 AM UTC

darwingr wrote: post #302

keewee7 wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USS Liberty incident happened 52 years ago. >because they didn't like that we were watching them That is the American conspiracy theorist interpretation of the incident that (understandably) also gained traction among a few of the survivors. The Israelis disagree. It was most likely a case of mistaken identity. Just like friendly fire incidents. Friendly fire incidents happen all the time, including between US fo…

The Liberty was also very far from where the Americans had told the Israelis where it would be. Finding the ship there was unexpected and calls to confirm its identity were not being answered.

> Israeli pilot to IDF war room: This is an American ship. Do you still want us to attack?

> IDF war room to Israeli pilot: Yes, follow orders.

> Israeli pilot to IDF war room: But sir, it’s an American ship - I can see the flag!

> IDF war room to Israeli pilot: Never mind; hit it.

https://archive.md/KNYBR/again?url=https://www.haaretz.com/u...

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

#428

Post by throwaway-20372 » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:19 AM UTC

zionic wrote: post #422

throwaway20372 wrote: post #407

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anti-semetic remarks are never acceptable, we have come so far and progressed so much as a society, we are simple better than this. These types of attacks need to be censored and posters of such, banned. This is a place for everyone of every race and creed to get along, regardless of your feelings about a certain group, who may have some advantages in some fields, many different groups also have advantages in other f…

Let’s be clear, comments critical of the Israeli government are NOT anti-Semitic. In fact, there are plenty of Jews who are critical of the Israeli regime. The above comment appears to be conflating criticism of the Israeli government with the Jews as a race/religion.

We all know how these arguments ultimately end up attacking the jew as a race/religion as a whole. These comments, indeed, are antisemtic- however nuanced. The "international jew" question is one that has somehow transitioned into anything related in the slightest to Jewish influence in the government of the US. If someone were to say, "Hitler did nothing wrong" would that be true? No! He lost, the only thing he did wrong was lose. This kind of twisted logic is where these arguments targeting any supposed influence of a Jewish controlled power structure arise when events like these undoubtedly, and likely eventually occur. So you will excuse me if I don't want to go down that path. Anti-semetism is not acceptable and the most shameful expression of ignorance one can pro-pound in this day and age.

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

#429

Post by noah_buddy » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:19 AM UTC

webkike wrote: post #343

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 US ally

Can I ask what your name means? I thought this was a troll account at first glance from the topic matter and your alias but you look like an earnest poster, hence my confusion.

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

#430

Post by zionic » Sat, Dec 04, 2021, 2:21 AM UTC

throwaway-20372 wrote: post #428

zionic wrote: post #422

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let’s be clear, comments critical of the Israeli government are NOT anti-Semitic. In fact, there are plenty of Jews who are critical of the Israeli regime. The above comment appears to be conflating criticism of the Israeli government with the Jews as a race/religion.

We all know how these arguments ultimately end up attacking the jew as a race/religion as a whole. These comments, indeed, are antisemtic- however nuanced. The "international jew" question is one that has somehow transitioned into anything related in the slightest to Jewish influence in the government of the US. If someone were to say, "Hitler did nothing wrong" would that be true? No! He lost, the only thing he did…

> We all know how these arguments ultimately end up attacking the jew as a race/religion as a whole.

Do we “all know” that?

Meanwhile, you created an account just now to reply to this.

Please try and be less transparent in the future.

> If someone were to say, "Hitler did nothing wrong" would that be true? No! He lost, the only thing he did wrong was lose.

This has gone so far off the rails. Dear lord…