U.S. Defense Bill: Five Eyes to Nine Eyes?

[The Bread Guy]

This from Defense One:

The United States’ “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing pact is a World War II relic that needs updating to better keep tabs on China, the chairman of a key house subcommittee on intelligence told Defense One.

Arizona Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on special operations and intelligence, has added language in this year’s defense bill that opens the door for the decades-old pact’s first expansion.

The provision would require the director of national intelligence and the Defense Department to report on the current status and shortcomings of intelligence sharing between the “Five Eyes” nations: the U.S., Australia, the U.K., New Zealand, and Canada, and what benefits and risks there would be to adding Japan, Korea, India, and Germany to the trusted group.

“We are very much stuck on this ‘Five Eyes’ model, which I think is outdated,” Gallego said at Defense One and Nextgov’s 2021 National Security Forum. “We need to expand the scope. It shouldn’t just be such an Anglophile view of sharing.” ...

Proposed wording of the idea/change attached (entire defense bill here)

So far, Pakistani official's underwhelmed with the concept of adding India.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Gotta wonder why Germany is in that mix. They have no overseas territories in SE Asia and rely on the Russians for their energy. France would make more sense as they have territory in the theatre and would be more up for aggressive defence of this area than the Germans, who have no skin in the game.

 

[Ostrozac]

If the US can get Japan and South Korea to actually cooperate, that would be a hell of an achievement. Their relationship is… strained, to say the least.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Gotta wonder why Germany is in that mix. They have no overseas territories in SE Asia and rely on the Russians for their energy. France would make more sense as they have territory in the theatre and would be more up for aggressive defence of this area than the Germans, who have no skin in the game.

Probably just to piss off the French…

 

[Czech_pivo]

Probably just to piss off the French…

And I’d be a but leery about the Germans, seems the Russians have been able to continue to have assets operating in their government.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Probably just to piss off the French…

.... like India to piss off the Pakistanis?

 

[SeaKingTacco]

.... like India to piss off the Pakistanis?

Yeah- Potato, Pakora…

 

[CBH99]

And I’d be a but leery about the Germans, seems the Russians have been able to continue to have assets operating in their government.

In all fairness, the Russians are extremely good at what they do.

Former CIA Director Brennan, as well as former CSIS Director Fadden, have both stated (in separate presentations/conferences during Q&A’s, once retired) - that the Russians were consistently their most challenging opponents, as they were ‘unbelievably cunning’ and very very good.

I imagine the Russians can have operatives in any government they target.


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[CBH99]

This from Defense One:

Proposed wording of the idea/change attached (entire defense bill here)

So far, Pakistani official's underwhelmed with the concept of adding India.

That’s okay Pakistan. I’m pretty sure everybody else is officially underwhelmed with the idea of adding you… why not bring Kenya into the mix while we’re at it?

Are we talking about the same Pakistan that allowed the Taliban safe haven during our campaign next door? The same Taliban that just took over a wee while ago, and is undoing a lot of progress that was made in a variety of areas?

The same Pakistan that armed them via the ISI? The same Pakistan that wouldn’t even allow the US to go after Bin Laden once his location was confirmed, while at the same time claiming they had ‘no idea he was there.’

I just want to make sure I’m not mixing up that Pakistan with another Pakistan?


Between the two…India would be a far better choice…

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