The story broke last week Monday that the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States has been recording all cell phone calls in The Bahamas. The online site The Intercept published the story. The supporting documents for the piece are reportedly from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Since the disclosure by The Intercept and stories in the Bahamian media, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau has just said that, as a matter of policy, the United States has made it clear that it gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations.
On Monday, U.S. Charge d'Affaires John Dinkelman said he could neither confirm nor deny allegations that the NSA is recording and archiving every cell phone conversation in The Bahamas. But, Dinkelman thinks the relationship between the two countries is strong.
"Regarding the relationship between the United States and The Bahamas, it has never been stronger and will continue to be one of the closest and manageable in today's world where we struggle together for freedoms, for peace and most importantly for the security of both our nations," he said.
When the initial story broke, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said in a statement that the reported recording and storing of cell phone calls in The Bahamas by the U.S. appeared to be illegal and an abuse of power.
"It would also represent a great moral failing on the part of its perpetrators, in addition to illegality, which challenges the founding principles of the rule of law," he said.
The Bahamian government then told the country it was awaiting an official response from the U.S. before saying more on the issue.
"In the meantime we urge all Bahamians to remain calm about this matter, keeping our eyes on the fundamentals of the relationship between the two states and our longer-term interests," said Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis last week in the House of Assembly.
The government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas should know that the Americans will tell them no more in private than they have said in public. They have not denied the allegation, and we all know that Snowden took their private files.
As a small nation, we have no retaliatory power against the U.S. But at this stage what is needed is a strong statement from a nationalist in the Parliament of The Bahamas on behalf of the government expressing the anger of the Bahamian people on this issue.
The Americans should know that as a sovereign nation we take grave offense to them recording the conversations of our children, our friends and colleagues. We have no idea what they do with this information. We don't know if they use it against us in some way. We don't know if they save it to use it against us if we dare to have an independent thought or position against America.
What this intelligence program gives the U.S. is another means by which to blackmail the people of The Bahamas. Dangling this power over the heads of a people is an act of hostility. There is nothing friendly about blackmail.
The U.S. does these things because it can. It especially does these things to little countries because they have no power of response to the great superpower.
In speaking back to America, however, we need to make that country and its officials aware that such acts of hostility toward weaker peoples fuel anti-Americanism. And this sentiment in a people always makes it more difficult for America to achieve its interests.
We wonder if there is anyone in our Cabinet who "believes in The Bahamas" enough to condemn the great United States and articulate Bahamian outrage on this point. America has compromised our political and law enforcement classes with gifts of equipment and cooperation. Others in our community are so mesmerized by being able to go shopping in South Florida that they dare not say anything to get our neighbor to the north upset.
If we are to be a proud, sovereign nation, we must stand up and condemn our friends when they have wronged us. We should let them know in clear terms that their willingness to abuse their power and violate our privacy endangers our "friendly" relationship. Their cavalier actions also erode the goodwill many Bahamians feel toward the U.S.
We shall watch and see what our leaders say regarding this matter. Maybe they don't care and hope the issue dies down over time. But if the Bahamian government lets this go with no further protest, the Americans will know that the docile people of The Bahamas live in a country where it is easy for the United States to perfect whatever intrusive experiment it chooses with little to no resistance.

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