Americans hear a lot about immigration and warrantless wiretapping, thanks to this presidential election; but Europe deals with these issues as well.
Sweden, upon fresh approval from parliament, will now allow its intelligence agency to spy on internationally bound emails, phone calls, and faxes (people still fax?) without a warrant. Outraged critics compare Sweden's new plan to the actions of China, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Moving on to all of Europe, and its immigration problem, the EU just passed legislation that allows governments to detain undocumented migrants for as many as 18 months, and ban them from EU territory for five years upon release.
Despite the intention to find decent minimum standards for migrants while maintaining a tough-on-illegals image, human rights groups criticize the law as severely flawed. The EU had the difficult task of forming a united immigration policy. France's current detention limit is 32 days, Germany's 18 months, and still other members have no limit.
Do Sweden's actions suggest that governments have a need to spy without a warrant, or a sign that the world needs new moral leadership? Should EU standards be a compromise or an aspiration? Is it possible to compromise human rights?
Elizabeth and James
7 For All Mankind
Sandro
I think it just goes to show that some issues aren't as simple or as black and white as people would like to believe. When you have multiple, civilized and free countries making similar decisions, at some point you have to stop with the evil Bush*tler Chimpy McHalliburton noise and admit there may be reasoning behind the decisions that you can analyze. Not to say that once a handful of people do something, it must be ok. But, it's naive to continue to dismiss as outlandish.
1It doesn't prove anything except stupidity and arrogance aren't confined to any one part of the world.
2Go swedes!
I use a fax everyday, internet isnt safe enough for patient information
3what about africa? should i stop faxing my SSN, bank account numbers, and other personal information to those nice men from nigeria?
4the immigration law is disgusting...seriously, it's even embarassing for me as an euroupean...it's so severe and ignores human rigths...did you know that one of the outcomes of that law is that children that aren't legalized yet could be deported witout their families? just read that on the newspaper today
5Lou Dobbs will be faxing it to Congress today.
6So now my emails will bore the sh!t out of myself and the poor idiot who's spying on me.
7Very surprising move by Sweden to suspend the need for a warrant. Now we'll just have to sit back and see if it was a smart move.
Its success could have implications here though. If future administrations see a track record of it being a strategic success in practice they may be able to use that evidence as leverage to push congress for the same.
8The trouble with these laws is, we can't see if they work or not. The government can always claim it stopped an attack but it's a secret so the people can't be told about it. If there is an attack, they'll say they need more surveillance capabilities.
9my butt is on the swedish.
10Your (butt) is on the Swedish CaterpillerGirl? LOL! Well God save the Swedes! LOL!
11LMAO @ YY. You never miss a beat.
12no one watches Tom Green? Its the Bum Bum song.
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