OT - Diplomats fear WikiLeaks will expose U.S. brickbats aimed at Canada

[PaulGuelph]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/diplomats-fear-wikileaks-will-expose-us-brickbats-aimed-at-canada/article1814292/

"The potential that secrets ranging from war tactics to intelligence-sharing could be revealed sparked concerns Thursday from Defence Minister Peter MacKay and U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson, who said it was an irresponsible attempt to "wreak havoc" and "destabilize global security" that will put lives at risk.

But the fear of real damage is accompanied by another concern in Ottawa - that snippets of private talk by U.S. diplomats might include sharp words that could stick in the mind of a Canadian public that is often sensitive to how they are seen in American eyes."

I wonder if these leaks are a bad thing or a good thing.

I wish that Canadians would lose that warm and fuzzy feeling they have about international relations and be more focused on looking after our own country first.

America is our best ally and I have nothing against them. But if you look at the American embassy in Ottawa from a top view (as I did) you will see dozens of (maybe even one hundred) antennae hidden behind a facade that rings the top of the building. Really, it is every country for themselves.

[User 0]

That's par for the course, really.  Embassies and diplomats, etc, are all really just a kind of gentlemen's agreement to allow low level intelligence gathering.  Every country does it, and every country knows that every other country does it.  If it makes you feel any better, from a military and intelligence perspective, the US honestly has no closer ally than Canada. 

As for Wikileaks, my personal opinion is that this guy is a pipsqueak with a chip on his shoulder.  He's outed some intel in the hopes of harming the interests of the US, and it didn't work.  The fact that he hasn't turned up dead in a car accident is a testament to the US playing fairly, and a blow to every conspiracy theory, "government faked 9/11" nutjob out there.

I do hope he gets his, though. 

[PaulGuelph]

I am actually surprised that he is still alive.

[neoteny]

I vaguely recall that the US has a law against government-ordered assassinations of foreigners. Passing that law might have been 'fair', but once it exists, obeying it isn't some magnanimous act of the executive branch.

[Quentin0352]

I vaguely recall that the US has a law against government-ordered assassinations of foreigners. Passing that law might have been 'fair', but once it exists, obeying it isn't some magnanimous act of the executive branch.

You are correct about that law.

[wractor]

America is our best ally and I have nothing against them. But if you look at the American embassy in Ottawa from a top view (as I did) you will see dozens of (maybe even one hundred) antennae hidden behind a facade that rings the top of the building. Really, it is every country for themselves.

Paul, I'm an American and I'm not even standing up for America...but I'd guess those few hundred antennae are there to track incoming missiles. I daresay we're not spying on your beer production (which we should be, since it's better than ours, anyway).

[PaulGuelph]

I really doubt that Wractor.

"spying on your beer production"  You are trying to say that Canada is not important in the world and not worth spying on.  I am skeptical on that one too.

I remember a few years ago a story about how America beat Canada for a grain export deal with Russia, by eavesdropping on Canada negotiators.

The NSA has only so many personnel to sift out what is worth hearing, but I would bet that they are using some of the antenna to listen to cell phone conversations.  Some might be to jam out bands in a US emergency such as if a remote control bomb was suspected.  Some might be to decrypt Cdn gov & military communications.  Others might be to receive transmissions from bugs planted in various locations.  Plus there would be redundant up-links to satellites.

There could be a couple missiles on the roof.  I would not doubt that.

I am sure the US spies on its allies as well as its enemies.

Even though we are friends, the US and Canada are separate countries, each perusing its own interests.

[User 0]

Paul's correct.  We have huge detection systems dedicated to watching for missiles and other objects.  In fact, our missile detection covers Canada, as well, since soviet missiles would most likely be launched over the northern pole.

On the other hand, I'd say most of those antennae are probably for legit comms.  Canada and the US share a LOT of information, up to the Secret level.  I don't doubt that some of those are for the purpose of intel collection, but you'd be surprised how many antennae you can "need" without actually using any for recon purposes.

Note that this is entirely speculation.  I don't actually know the first thing about what those antennae are for.  These are just slightly educated guesses.  And I do mean slightly.

[PaulGuelph]

The same here.  I am just speculating. 

P.S. Canada built, maintains and controls most of the radar detection & communication system of the Canadian part of NORAD.  The Dew line etc.  The Canadian headquarters as everyone knows is far underground in North Bay, Ont.