quote:

ORIGINAL: Aswad

Actually, several countries have complained, including China. But there's a difference between complaining, taking action and taking violent action. The US is tied with Israel for the position of being the most credible threat against the human species, so people will avoid violent action until such time as a viable defense against nuclear missiles is found (at which point both of those nations will probably experience a karmic credit default).

Currently, China's response has been to advise corporations to stop buying network gear from American companies, which means some billions in revenues lost. Australia has responded by rejecting similar legislation. Germany will, obviously, take time to deliberate, but is already pretty clear this will not be acceptable.

Everyone knows money is the deciding factor in all American politics (just consider the steel tax debacle under GWB).

Thus, financial sanctions will be the primary way nations will put pressure on the USA.

For instance, this may violate the ethical capital management guidelines of the Government Pension Fund of Norway, its value currently comparable to the cost of the war in Afghanistan, in which case it would start divesting its portfolios in the relevant companies, as it has in the past, to encourage change toward a more ethical, more sustainable future. The EU may slap several US companies with substantial fines, or requirements that they change their business model in ways that facilitate circumvention of the surveillance programmes (with a hefty price tag for actually accomplishing that). China already has substantial leverage, and is likely to apply some of it.

The whole thing may end up costing... a lot... and that usually results in changes in the US, unlike irrelevancies like voting and diplomacy.

In that sense, the US is fairly easy to handle: just squeeze the wallet.

So, yes, complaints coming, in a big way.

IWYW,
— Aswad.