The German government has told the top US spy in Berlin to leave the country.  This comes after German officials uncovered two cases of US spying in Germany, worsening the friction between the two allies.  Expelling agents and other officials is usually done between countries with adversarial relationships.

“The representative of the US intelligence services at the United States Embassy has been asked to leave Germany,” said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert.  “The request occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation by federal prosecutors as well as the questions that were posed months ago about the activities of US intelligence agencies in Germany.”

By kicking out the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station chief, Berlin is signaling that it is running out of patience with what it sees as a pattern of American disrespect and interference.  A German intelligence official was already arrested last week on suspicion of spying, and investigators have launched an inquiry into a German defense ministry worker. 

This is on top of last year’s revelations from the Snowden Documents – that the US National Security Agency had targeted German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Internet traffic. 

Merkel said, “Viewed with good common sense, spying on friends and allies is a waste of energy.  In the cold war it may have been the case that there was mutual mistrust.  Today we live in the 21st century.”