Why in the News?

Recently a White House official has proposed expelling Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. This comes as Donald Trump pressures Canada, even suggesting it could be transformed into the 51st U.S. state.

About the Five Eyes Alliance (FVEY):

• The FVEY is a global intelligence-sharing network comprising 5 Anglosphere countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Established in 1946 following the UKUSA Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, it is one of the most secretive and influential alliances in global intelligence and security.
• The alliance primarily focuses on sharing intelligence, especially signals intelligence (SIGINT), and collaborates on security matters like counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and geopolitical monitoring.
• It plays a pivotal role in global surveillance programs, such as ECHELON, and is a key player in shaping international intelligence policy.
• Members of the FVEY:

1. 1. Australia: Plays a key role in monitoring the Asia-Pacific region and contributes to SIGINT and cybersecurity efforts.
   2. Canada: Contributes significantly to global communications intelligence, focusing on networks and signals intelligence.
   3. New Zealand: Has a relatively reserved role but provides valuable intelligence, particularly in the Pacific region.
   4. United Kingdom: Works closely with the United States and is instrumental in intelligence gathering across Europe and the Middle East.
   5. United States: The largest contributor of intelligence, particularly in global SIGINT, and leads the alliance in intelligence operations.

• Mandate:

• • The Five Eyes primarily focuses on intelligence sharing, especially signals intelligence (intercepted communications, satellite data, etc.), but has expanded to include human intelligence (HUMINT), geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), and cybersecurity.
  • The alliance works on global surveillance programs, collecting data on adversarial governments, counterterrorism efforts, and counterintelligence operations.
  • A key principle of the alliance is the “no third-party rule,” meaning intelligence shared among member countries is not passed on to non-member states without permission.

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