Big Brother or war criminal?

While trumpeting freedoms, Washington has been officially spying on the world through the Internet. It’s a reminder of its hypocrisy, but also exposes ours.

By Amira Howeidy , Monday 17 Jun 2013
Ahram Online

".....But our oxymoronic approach to the US was taken to another level when, 10 years after its invasion of Iraq and its disastrous consequences on the once powerful and important nation, we’re barely criticising its involvement in Syria. While most anti-Bashar Al-Assad views have bitterly spoken against Hizbullah’s active involvement and also their new archenemies the takfiris (extremist Sunni Muslim groups who brand non-conformists apostates), few are condemning the Syrian opposition’s cooperation with Washington. Nobody is asking why we’re horrified by the takfiris and Hizbullah, resentful of Iran and Russia, but nonchalant — if not neutral — about the American factor?....

In the same spirit, but on a much smaller scale, the US administration has violated its own Fourth Amendment by expanding surveillance and the powers of the NSA to unprecedented levels. This is largely an American problem that brave people like Snowden refuse to accept. But in our revolutionary spirit and quest for the rule of just laws, democratic values and national independence, PRISM is only a reminder for us to hold the US administration accountable to the same values we claim to be fighting for. It can’t be part of any chapter of the Arab Spring."