Most members aren’t allowed to spy on their own citizens without things like warrants. So they spy on the other members citizens and then share the info.
So the question becomes, like so many others, are the benefits worth the risks? Being able to collect information on your citizens without saying you do by helping closely aligned countries do the same appears to have been worth the risk to the leaders of those (and other) countries. Doing that while also providing info about your allies to someone who isn’t considered an ally or who they may be wary of is a different proposition.
I’d be happier if a lot of things could happen, including spying on your neighbors, or engaging in quid pro quo to provide a fig leaf on the idea of spying on your own citizens, but I imagine that isn’t going to happen for a good long while.
Most members aren’t allowed to spy on their own citizens without things like warrants. So they spy on the other members citizens and then share the info.
It’s basically a way around citizen rights.
So the question becomes, like so many others, are the benefits worth the risks? Being able to collect information on your citizens without saying you do by helping closely aligned countries do the same appears to have been worth the risk to the leaders of those (and other) countries. Doing that while also providing info about your allies to someone who isn’t considered an ally or who they may be wary of is a different proposition.
I’d be happier if a lot of things could happen, including spying on your neighbors, or engaging in quid pro quo to provide a fig leaf on the idea of spying on your own citizens, but I imagine that isn’t going to happen for a good long while.