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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe U.S. Government’s Secret Plans to Spy for American Corporations - By Glenn Greenwald
The U.S. Government’s Secret Plans to Spy
for American Corporations
By Glenn Greenwald
The Intercept
09/05/2014 6:47 AM
Throughout the last year, the U.S. government has repeatedly insisted that it does not engage in economic and industrial espionage, in an effort to distinguish its own spying from China’s infiltrations of Google, Nortel, and other corporate targets. So critical is this denial to the U.S. government that last August, an NSA spokesperson emailed The Washington Post to say (emphasis in original): “The department does **not** engage in economic espionage in any domain, including cyber.”
After that categorical statement to the Post, the NSA was caught spying on plainly financial targets such as the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras; economic summits; international credit card and banking systems; the EU antitrust commissioner investigating Google, Microsoft, and Intel; and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. In response, the U.S. modified its denial to acknowledge that it does engage in economic spying, but unlike China, the spying is never done to benefit American corporations.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, for instance, responded to the Petrobras revelations by claiming: “It is not a secret that the Intelligence Community collects information about economic and financial matters…. What we do not do, as we have said many times, is use our foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade secrets of foreign companies on behalf of—or give intelligence we collect to—U.S. companies to enhance their international competitiveness or increase their bottom line...”
.......
One of the principal threats raised in the report is a scenario “in which the United States’ technological and innovative edge slips”— in particular, “that the technological capacity of foreign multinational corporations could outstrip that of U.S. corporations.” Such a development, the report says “could put the United States at a growing—and potentially permanent—disadvantage in crucial areas such as energy, nanotechnology, medicine, and information technology.”
How could U.S. intelligence agencies solve that problem? The report recommends “a multi-pronged, systematic effort to gather open source and proprietary information through overt means, clandestine penetration (through physical and cyber means), and counterintelligence” (emphasis added). In particular, the DNI’s report envisions “cyber operations” to penetrate “covert centers of innovation” such as R&D facilities.
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MORE:https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/05/us-governments-plans-use-economic-espionage-benefit-american-corporations/
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1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)It seems that GG is a bit late to the party ... since it's been going on since the early-mid 20s.
http://www.vice.com/read/a-brief-history-of-the-united-states-governments-warrentless-spying
And before ... http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html#c1
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Some fireworks show....it appears to be recycled information from almost a century ago...
Vattel
(9,289 posts)doing is not very newsworthy because the United States has engaged in economic espionage in the past. Wow, with your sense of what is and what is not newsworthy, you really should consider a career in journalism.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)It has been known that the US government conducted this kind espionage in the past and Greenwald has essentially recycled information that was already known.
Repackaged for delivery to the folks who swoon over his every move.
If this is his big fireworks show, it's pretty pathetic.
Marr
(20,317 posts)the lack of WMD in Iraq was a non-story, because of the Gulf of Tonkin. Old news. Nothing surprising. Move along.
Chan790
(20,176 posts)if I threw paint on you every day for years in the middle of Times Square in front of the whole wide world and one day I started denying that I had ever threw paint on you while I continue to daily engage in the act of throwing paint on you. A few years later, some journalist yells "Breaking News! Chan790 actually does throw paint on Vattel." The collective lack of shock to the report would be monumental.
It's not noteworthy because despite the denials, nobody ever really believed that we weren't engaging in economic espionage. Anybody that did believe it was a lame-witted dupe that deserved to be misled.
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)Count me as impressed. If only reply #1 had said something about Greenwald cosplaying as Hitler, you'd be all over that too, repackaging someone's supposition and treating it as if it were a fact.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Oh ... never-mind. I didn't properly fall down to the GG alter.
Maybe if you know a little history ... Or read the links, you would not be talking about "repackaged supposition." 
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)And it has very little to do with you or with your link. It has to do with the respondent's posting style and attempted bandwagonism where no bandwagon actually exists.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Granted I had a tough day at work; but, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)It doesn't sound like you and I are meant to have this conversation, so I'll shortcut it by wishing you a good weekend. Thanks.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,033 posts)
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)
Vattel
(9,289 posts)
Historic NY
(37,451 posts)just look at China, they are sucking US (us) computers dryto gain the upper hand. Apparently they don't fall into his definition.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)that the U.S. spy agencies were intercepting international communications, except those involving economic intelligence? ... during trade negotiations? Really?
Vattel
(9,289 posts)But trying to suggest that Greenwald's revelations here are somehow old news is ridiculous, as any informed poster at this site will realize.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)since we developed the capability to intercept electronic communications ... even before. Nations (including the U.S.) have been collecting economic intelligence of its trading "partners" to gain competitive advantage(s) since the being of trade ... when its done overtly, it's called "economic research", when it's done covertly, it's called "economic espionage."
The only difference(s) here is: 1) the use of 21st century technology; and 2) the disclosure was by GG.
Is that clear enough?
BTW, I am not endorsing the U.S. government's activity; but I have my feet in the real world enough to realize that this conduct can be used for "national good" or "national evil" ... as such, it is, what it is ... we, therefore, enjoy/tolerate the fruits, when done for "good" and punish it when it's found to be "evil" (or, just when it comes to light).
BTWW, I see what you did there (as will all informed posters to this site) ... "I have no idea what your point is; but every informed soul just knows ..." Well, I suggest, your understanding of "informed" is heavily influenced by who said what, and whether it lines up with your position.
Further, it amazes me that some are completely capable of connecting the most improbable data points, when fed by someone they support, and/or, it feeds their pre-held positions; but can't seem to apply commonsense (even to the point of rejecting commonly known information), when doing so would reduce their position to "nothing new." In this case, GG has over the course of the last few years, been disclosing stuff that the government has been doing for decades, and we get all upset; but for someone to point out that the government has been doing it for centuries is blasphemous.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)And other Greenwald-haters are jumping on the bandwagon to join the usual chorus of "Tell us something we didn't already know Greenwald."
Given that our government has been vociferously attacking China for using espionage for its own economic advantage, and given the NSA's recent denial that we do anything of that sort, Greenwald's revelations, if they do demonstrate hypocrisy and lies here, are very important.
Besides, your links don't even prove that "the US government has been spying for corporate interests since we developed the capability to intercept electronic communications." So that makes your little anti-Greenwald snark even more pathetic.
I suggest that you try a different strategy and argue that his revelations don't really prove that we advance our economic interests through economic espionage. I could respect that approach.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)That's just what your GG defensive ears hear.
I'v said that what GG has "revealed" is nothing new, nor should it be surprising, to any one that knows history or has been paying attention.
Ask yourself why you feel such the compulsion that defend EVERY thing GG utters as Earth - shakingly new? I could there, at Least, respect that.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)And you express that by saying that "it seems that GG is a bit late to the party." No implied criticism whatsoever of the significance of Greenwald's revelations about US economic espionage. Okay, well, if you say so.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)The criticism is due to your admiration, not anything I've said.
If it's not about GG, then, get off your knees.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
Marr
(20,317 posts)You're rationalizing it, and trying to explain why it's nothing to be concerned about. That's just a less honest form of endorsement.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)If you say so.
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)in the dark, with no oversight. Well everything IS really relevant to national defense, right? Just like everything is relevant to the "war on terror." Therefore, any behavior at all, no matter how duplicitous or illegal, is technically okay.
"We needed to spy on the world in order to save the world, sir."
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)but, if we're going to be honest, this is what happens when government is captured by corporate interests ... the NSA actors did it, not for "national security"; but rather, money ... money for themselves and money to fund its activities; activities that they don't want congress to see/acknowledge.
elias49
(4,259 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
Trillo
(9,154 posts)was for the government to get a window into aspects of our lives previously black. Otherwise, what use are they? Did they reduce the workload or raise our wages?
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)net.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)"...until after we enter the private sector cough Booz Allen cough Carlyle Group."
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)
rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)
It's been happening for decades
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Cuba ... Panama ... Vietnam ... name any place the U.S. Military has visited to push corporate interests, our spies got there first.
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)Thanks for the thread, kpete.
JEB
(4,748 posts)whistler162
(11,155 posts)when reporting on "government" plans.
DROP THE WORD SECRET!