The Bush Era spying program is the equivalent of J. Edgar Hoover and his ineffective spying on government.

What good did Hoover do us? These men were assassinated and he never had information to stop it because his focus was all "W"rong. Hoover was spying on the USA government, not the enemy of the government.

Why would Bush every spy on a German Chancellor? Because he didn't listen in the first place and needed to control the political backlash? It profoundly sounds like the paranoia of Richard Cheney, the man that would wage war no matter the will of the American people. Sounds exactly like him. This level of spying on allies is to insure there is political leverage against them is unthinkable.

And guess who was director of the NSA while this spying program was developed and instituted?
 
One Guess. 

Mr. Heil and Heel Clicker himself. 

The best Yes Man Bush and Cheney ever had, except for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. If so, then it is a very close second.