To believe that allies never snoop on one another is ridiculous. Israel was discovered to be using an operative for the United States naval intelligence in the 1980s; still, this had no effect on broader relationships, and Israel continues to be the US’s top Middle Eastern ally. Nevertheless, any state that considers stealing secrets from its allies must weigh the benefits of doing so against the dangers of being discovered and the harm that may ensue from this. NATO and EU nations often communicate with one another, so a nation must be assured that its allies are keeping something valuable hidden that is improbable to be discovered. It should also be certain that if the eavesdropping is uncovered, a credible act of penitence will mend any strained ties.
The US administration seems to view clandestine intelligence gathering as an acceptable tool in its diplomatic strategy, which was visible from the bug issue with Germany. Presumably, American politicians view the intelligence apparatus’ knowledge as a crucial advantage in talks with both rivals and friends. However, whether this revelation of American espionage in Germany was correct or not, it is undeniable that it has harmed the bilateral relationship (Fisher, 2013). Given Germany’s position as the European superpower, German hostility is especially difficult for the United States since cooperation is essential to the country’s strategic engagement with Europe as a whole.
Nevertheless, American espionage was justified – Germany must be a trustworthy and dependable partner for the United States. In the past, Germany was reliable but lacked credibility since it didn’t bother to gather the resources or the spirit to fight, yet it could always be relied upon to do nothing. Although it may sound callous, this type of certainty is useful in a volatile international setting (Braw, 2021). Thus, for the US as a leading political actor, spying on allies on friends is justified if there is a visible necessity that provides it with an advantage in the international arena.
References
Fisher, M. (2013). Why America Spies on Its Allies (and Probably Should). The Washington Post. Web.
Braw, E. (2021). Spying on Allies is Normal. Also Smart. Politico. Web.