When Allies Spy on the U.S.: Exploring the Complex World of Espionage

 

An ally accusing the U.S. of spying on them is probably guilty of the same

Espionage is an undeniable reality of international relations, and foreign nations have indeed spied on the United States. In particular, European countries have been actively involved in spying against the US.

     That's why it's tiring to constantly hear European and other US allies complain about the US spying on them, especially through the National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance programs. These accusations have been fueled by disclosures from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who revealed the extent of the agency's surveillance activities, which included monitoring the phone calls and emails of foreign leaders and collecting data on millions of people worldwide. Although the US government has defended these programs as necessary for national security, they have strained diplomatic relations with some of its closest allies.

     During the Cold War, both the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states, as well as several Western European nations, engaged in extensive spying against the US. However, spying activities have not ceased even after the end of the Cold War. In recent years, Germany and France have conducted extensive spying operations against the US.

     For instance, in 2014, the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) was caught spying on the US State Department and other American institutions for years. The BND spied on US officials and diplomats as well as the European Commission and French Foreign Ministry, among others. Similarly, in 2013, the French intelligence agency, the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), was caught intercepting over 70 million phone calls and texts made by US citizens over a 30-day period. 

     It's important to note that other US allies have also been involved in spying activities against the US, as in the case of Israel's Jonathan Pollard, who provided classified information to Israel for several years before being caught and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1985. It's clear that spying among allies is a common practice, and while it may sometimes strain diplomatic relationships, it's not viewed as a hostile act the way that espionage conducted by hostile nations is perceived.

   Here’s some quick instances of U.S. allies spying on America:

• South Korea was also found to be conducting espionage against the US in the 1970s. The Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) was accused of trying to influence US foreign policy by bribing politicians and journalists. 

• Australia's Christopher Boyce, an Australian intelligence officer, was caught selling classified US information to the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Boyce was eventually caught and sentenced to 40 years in prison. 

• The United Kingdom has also been known to conduct spying activities against the US. In 2013, it was revealed that the UK's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) had been intercepting and storing millions of emails and phone calls from US citizens. This was done under a program called Tempora, which was part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. 

• In 1995, it was revealed that France had been spying on US businesses and government offices. French intelligence services were found to have installed listening devices at the offices of US officials and intercepted communications between US companies. 

• In 2012, it was reported that Israel had been spying on the US government and military. The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was accused of using a US-based communications company to spy on US officials and collect sensitive information. 

• In 2017, it was discovered that South Korea had been spying on the US military. The South Korean military intelligence agency was accused of using drones to collect information on US military installations in South Korea. The spying was reportedly conducted over a period of several months before being detected. 

     There’s one spying incident by a U.S. ally that blew my mind away. In 2019, Israel placed listening devices around the White House. U.S. intelligence found out that Israel placed cell phone surveillance devices, commonly known as "StingRays," near the White House and other sensitive locations in Washington, D.C.

     The StingRays are designed to mimic cell phone towers and intercept calls and text messages from nearby phones. The devices were reportedly discovered during routine sweeps conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.

     Of course, the Israeli government denied any involvement, but U.S. intelligence had enough evidence to conclude the devices were placed by Israeli Mossad intelligence agents. The incident reportedly strained relations between the two countries and prompted the Trump administration to issue a formal complaint to the Israeli government.

     Little wonder why the CIA doesn’t trust the Mossad, as they often operate unilaterally and engage in espionage activities that may not align with American interests. Additionally, Mossad operatives have been caught conducting unauthorized intelligence operations on U.S. soil, like the ‘StingRay’ incident.

     I enjoy watching Hollywood spy thriller movies that portray this ‘spying among friends’ quandary. My favorite is "The Good Shepherd," where MI6 spied on the CIA by planting a mole within the agency. The mole was a British operative named Arch Cummings, who had a close relationship with the protagonist Edward Wilson, a high-ranking CIA officer. Cummings provided MI6 with classified information on the CIA's activities, including its efforts to undermine the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

     I liked the scene where MI6 officers meet with Cummings in a London park to exchange information. They handed him a special camera disguised as a cigarette lighter, which he used to take photographs of sensitive CIA documents.

     Throughout the movie, Wilson becomes increasingly suspicious of Cummings and launches an investigation into the mole's identity. In the end, Wilson discovers the truth and confronts Cummings, who was forced to flee the country. Overall, "The Good Shepherd" portrays the tense and sometimes adversarial relationship between intelligence agencies during the Cold War, as each nation sought to gain an advantage over its rivals.

     Another example of a Hollywood movie that shows an ally intelligence agency spying on the U.S. intelligence is the French film "The Bureau." It's a television series that follows the lives of agents of the DGSE (the French intelligence agency) as they carry out missions around the world.

     In the show's first season, a CIA operative is suspected of leaking information to a foreign intelligence service. The DGSE sends one of its agents, Guillaume "Malotru" Debailly, to infiltrate the CIA and find out who the traitor is.

     The lines between friend and foe become increasingly blurred, and Guillaume finds himself struggling to maintain his loyalty to the DGSE while also protecting his CIA colleagues. The show does a good job of portraying the world of espionage and the complex relationships between ‘friendly’ intelligence agencies.

     In conclusion, it's always amusing to see allies of the United States accuse the U.S. of spying on them, while they themselves have been caught red-handed engaging in espionage activities against the U.S. And it's not just limited to Europe, as we've seen examples of U.S. allies like South Korea, Australia, and Israel involved in spying on the U.S.     

     But when allies spy on the U.S., their intentions are typically not to cause harm or damage to America. Rather, it is often to gain information that can help them better understand U.S. policies, decisions, and actions, and to coordinate their policies and actions accordingly. Allies spy on each other all the time, and it is seen as a normal and expected part of international relations.

     While spying on allies may be controversial and can sometimes strain diplomatic relationships, it is generally not seen as a hostile act the way that espionage conducted by Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea is viewed. It's like a game of international spy vs. spy, except that everyone's a spy, and nobody wins.

     So the next time you hear an ally of the U.S. complain about being spied on, just remember that they are probably guilty of the same offense. It's like the pot calling the kettle black, or as they say in the spy world, the mole calling the molehill black.

     Despite espionage among friends, the U.S. and its allies will maintain strong diplomatic relations and avoid any activities that may damage these relationships. So let's not forget to have a good laugh at the irony of allies accusing each other of spying while they themselves are busy playing the spy game. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.