[governance] Bruce Schneier: The Only Way to Restore Trust in the NSA

[Norbert Bollow]

Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:

> On the other hand, there are precendents of an
> international system enforcing international law for all people of
> the world in all countries, that allow themselves to be subject to
> that international system - International criminal court of justice,
> for instance. Therefore, this latter may be the more likely route to
> go.

Yes, and consequently it was my first idea to propose something along
those lines. I didn't because I failed to see any way around the
problem of how to set things up so that certain-to arise concerns can
be resolved that opening up their national security institutions to an
international institution (where they don't get to first do a security
vetting process for every individual who gets access to their secrets) 
would open them up to international espionage and therefore compromise
vital legitimate national security interests.

> If we need a truth and reconciliation commission that Bruce Schneier 
> seeks in the article, it needs to be global.

For the truth and reconciliation commission idea I agree. But I don't
think we can get there unless serious steps of opening up in regard to
violations of human rights of foreigners are taken at the national
level first.

> US,  and those closely 
> allied to it - whether because of residing in certain countries, or 
> because of personal persuasion,  should get over this thing about US 
> solving the world's problems, and come to terms with interacting with 
> the rest of the world on equal terms.

I agree. But that doesn't imply that it has to be done entirely by means
of an international institution.

In my suggestion, the first step is one that every country is able to
take unilaterally. And I think that countries will benefit economically
from taking that step, and I think that that benefit would be more than
sufficient to justify the costs and risks associated with taking this
step. If I'm right in my appraisal of this economic aspect, won't that
make it relatively easy for countries to decide to take this step?

Greetings,
Norbert

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