Britain needed US intelligence to help thwart a major terror attack.
New Zealand relied on it to send troops to Afghanistan. And Australia
used it to help convict a would-be bomber. All feats were the result of a
spying alliance known as Five Eyes that groups together five
English-speaking democracies, and they point to a vital lesson: American
information is so valuable, experts say, that no amount of global
outrage over secret US surveillance powers would cause Britain, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand to ditch the Five Eyes relationship. The
broader message is that the revelations from NSA leaker Edward Snowden
are unlikely to stop or even slow the global growth of secret-hunting
- an increasingly critical factor in the security and prosperity of
nations. "Information is like gold," said Bruce Ferguson, the former
head of New Zealand's foreign spy agency, the Government Communications
Security Bureau. "If you don't have it, you don't survive."
The Five Eyes arrangement underscores the value of this information - as well as the limitations of the information sharing. The collaboration began during World War II when the allies were trying to crack German and Japanese naval codes and has endured for more than 70 years. The alliance helps avoid duplication in some instances and allows for greater penetration in others. The five nations have agreed not to spy on each other, and in many outposts around the world, Five Eyes agencies work side by side, allowing for information to be shared quickly. But Richard Aldrich, who spent a decade researching a book on British surveillance, said some Five Eyes nations have spied on each other, violating their own rules. The five countries "generally know what's in each other's underwear drawers so you don't need to spy, but occasionally there will be issues when they don't agree" - and when that happens they snoop, Aldrich said.
In Five Eyes, the US boasts the most advanced technical abilities and the biggest budget. Britain is a leader in traditional spying, thanks in part to its reach into countries that were once part of the British Empire. Australia has excelled in gathering regional signals and intelligence, providing a window into the growing might of Asia. Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders can sometimes prove useful spies because they don't come under the same scrutiny as their British and American counterparts. "The United States doesn't share information," said Bob Ayers, a former CIA officer, "without an expectation of getting something in return."
Britain is home to one of the world's largest eavesdropping centres, located about 300 kilometres north-west of London at Menwith Hill. It's run by the NSA but hundreds of British employees work there, including analysts from Britain's eavesdropping agency, the Government Communications Headquarters - or GCHQ.
Australia is home to Pine Gap, a sprawling satellite tracking station located in the remote centre of the country, where NSA officials work side-by-side with scores of locals. The US also posts three or four analysts at a time in New Zealand, home to the small Waihopai and Tangimoana spy stations.
The Five Eyes arrangement underscores the value of this information - as well as the limitations of the information sharing. The collaboration began during World War II when the allies were trying to crack German and Japanese naval codes and has endured for more than 70 years. The alliance helps avoid duplication in some instances and allows for greater penetration in others. The five nations have agreed not to spy on each other, and in many outposts around the world, Five Eyes agencies work side by side, allowing for information to be shared quickly. But Richard Aldrich, who spent a decade researching a book on British surveillance, said some Five Eyes nations have spied on each other, violating their own rules. The five countries "generally know what's in each other's underwear drawers so you don't need to spy, but occasionally there will be issues when they don't agree" - and when that happens they snoop, Aldrich said.
In Five Eyes, the US boasts the most advanced technical abilities and the biggest budget. Britain is a leader in traditional spying, thanks in part to its reach into countries that were once part of the British Empire. Australia has excelled in gathering regional signals and intelligence, providing a window into the growing might of Asia. Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders can sometimes prove useful spies because they don't come under the same scrutiny as their British and American counterparts. "The United States doesn't share information," said Bob Ayers, a former CIA officer, "without an expectation of getting something in return."
Britain is home to one of the world's largest eavesdropping centres, located about 300 kilometres north-west of London at Menwith Hill. It's run by the NSA but hundreds of British employees work there, including analysts from Britain's eavesdropping agency, the Government Communications Headquarters - or GCHQ.
Australia is home to Pine Gap, a sprawling satellite tracking station located in the remote centre of the country, where NSA officials work side-by-side with scores of locals. The US also posts three or four analysts at a time in New Zealand, home to the small Waihopai and Tangimoana spy stations.
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