Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

Languages and Intercultural Studies

College

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

First Advisor

Joseph Fitsanakis

Abstract/Description

The United States does not collect intelligence against all countries with the same intensity. Members of the so-called Five Eyes alliance—the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand— are believed to be excluded, and allegedly so is the United Arab Emirates. Should this policy continue in today’s unpredictable and fast-changing geopolitical environment? The Five Eyes alliance has given the United States an unmatched level of integration with its allies by increasing intelligence sharing between its members—but does this mean the United States should still not collect intelligence on them? Especially now that the UAE has allegedly been added to this short list, there are critics who claim that not collecting intelligence on these countries is creating a dangerous and possibly expanding knowledge gap—that America is missing out on critical pieces of intelligence. The United States does, however, collect on other “allies.” It has been caught spying on Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on French companies who were allegedly supplying nuclear hardware to Iran, on the pro-Russian government Austria (NATO member), on Turkey, and on Israel. There are arguably instances where intelligence collection on these allies has been critical—for example, intelligence on the 9/11 hijackers who planned their attacks while they were in Germany, or allegations that Turkey may be backing elements within the Islamic State. Is the United States subverting its national security interests by not collecting on its close allies overseas, and now, allegedly, the UAE?

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