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After the exposure of the NSA intelligence programs, Obama, facing a domestic furore, said he welcomed public debate on the issue/FILE

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Spy sweeps test Obama’s rock star status in Europe

G8 leaders, who know the extent to which European security agencies are cooperating with the NSA, face their own political pressure over the scope of the US spying program.

“Privately, the Europeans will be extremely vocal on their concerns about this,” said Heather Conley of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

“They will, I think, try to send a more soothing message publicly about it. Privately, I think there will be growing concerns.”

Ben Rhodes, a US deputy national security adviser, told reporters that Obama would stress the safeguards and checks placed on the NSA programs and would “publicly” discuss the issue with Germans.

After the exposure of the NSA intelligence programs, Obama, facing a domestic furore, said he welcomed public debate on the issue.

But he has done little to spur that debate, and for political reasons, can hardly offer Germans more insight into the program than he has given Americans.

Still, Obama has political capital to burn in Europe. He easily outshines regional leaders mired in high unemployment and economic misery.

Still, Obama has political capital to burn in Europe. He easily outshines regional leaders mired in high unemployment and economic misery.

The Transatlantic Trends survey by the German Marshall Fund of the United States last year showed 71 percent of people in 12 European Union countries approved of Obama’s handling of international policies.

Seventy-one percent also backed his efforts to fight international terrorism.

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Someone who is not American, but is familiar with the president’s performance in summits, also said Obama enjoyed high personal authority around the G8 table.

He is always well-briefed and respected as someone who seeks out colleagues for personal chats, and wields considerable weight as the G8’s most powerful member.

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