Spying On Your Friends.

Some people, in the blogs I have been scanning, are expressing horror that the US government has files on other friendly governments. Just as many express the same horror that a friendly government was spying on us. Why does either shock? Please recall we have spies in our jails from other friendly countries.

Spying or intelligence gathering is an activity all of us engage in. Do you have a little book with names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, etc? There you go, you have a file on people. Do you call your friends to find out what happened at the party you missed? There you have it you are gathering intelligence.

Of course you may say well that doesn't count. Well okay, what about salesmen? Good ones have files on their customers with all sorts of details, likes, dislikes, family, important dates, etc.

The founder of Mercury Marine would send agents to taverns outside of the Outboard Motor Company (OMC manufacturers of Johnson & Evinrude boat engines) to find out what OMC was up to. It goes on.

Now, the coup plotters were after a few things. The FBI (or any they could get a hold of but they were in a position to get FBI files) files of PGMA for one. Another is anything that would give them an idea of American reaction in case they do oust PGMA or a means to manipulate America to pressure PGMA to step down.

To my Philippino readers you have nothing to apologize for. Aquino, Aragoncillo and the others directly involved are solely responsible they are the ones that bear the guilt of this action.