The intelligence alliance now known as the FVEY was born in the early days of the Cold War and was the product of a perceived existential threat posed by the Soviet Union. #5EyesCIPS
Canada was instrumental in the development of the FVEY. Canadian officials, operating in secret, strived after WWII to create an independent capacity for intelligence & worked hard to gain a place alongside both the British & US intelligence systems. #5EyesCIPS
They successfully created a Canada-US signals intelligence pact (CANUSA – 1949) which was the crucial first step in broadening an initial Anglo-American alliance (BRUSA - 1946) – eventually the FVEY when Australia & New Zealand joined in the 1950s #5EyesCIPS
Canadian intelligence during the Cold War was shaped to meet the needs of the FVEY. Canada’s early role was to develop a capability in the field of Arctic intelligence gathering, focussing on northern Russian military and industrial activities. #5EyesCIPS
Over decades the alliance expanded into many other areas of intelligence and national security. The expansiveness and adaptability of the Five Eyes system allowed it to survive the end of the Cold War. #5EyesCIPS
The Five Eyes alliance has always been a unique undertaking in global affairs. Sharing secrets does not come naturally to sovereign states, even close allies, and it had no counterpart among other blocs. #5EyesCIPS
The key question at hand is: Can the #FVEY keep delivering major security and intelligence benefits to its members? The answer appears to be yes, with change. #5EyesCIPS
One major threat to the Five Eyes has been resolved. A hard-hitting trade war by the US targeting the Chinese corporate giant, Huawei, & its potential role in the global development of 5G telecommunications systems. #5EyesCIPS
This featured frequent threats of reprisals by the US against any FVEY member that did not follow its Huawei ban, but has essentially been solved by the imposition of a US export ban on semi-conductors. #5EyesCIPS
Only Canada has not, at the time of writing, announced a policy on Huawei and 5G, but it has run out of manoeuvre room and will inevitably throw in with its Five Eyes counterparts, restoring harmony to the intelligence alliance. #5EyesCIPS
Whatever doubts the #FVEY might have about the Trump Admin appear to have been cast aside in favour of increased use of the FVEY as a forum to tackle the security issues not just at the level of intelligence officials but increasingly in senior political gatherings #5EyesCIPS
This has resulted in a huge increase in meetings and topics. As such, he Five Eyes partnership appears to have morphed from a strictly intelligence alliance into a grand political coalition. Five Eyes has become a G5. #5EyesCIPS
For Canada this development brings some potential advantages. It may heighten the relevance of intelligence to Canadian policy making and may provide a broader forum for working out global policy initiatives with the US. #5EyesCIPS
It also brings significant challenges. Operating within a five-country diplomatic alliance without real counterweights to US power, will always pose difficulties for Canadian independent policy-making. #5EyesCIPS
Turning the FVEY into a policy alliance is also a challenge for maintaining the independence of intelligence advice & sharing. The FVEY has evolved so remarkably in a short time, so our strategic thinking about its relative benefits & drawbacks must evolve as well. #5EyesCIPS
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Thank you to the presenters and our audience! That is all for today. We will be re-tweeting the "wrap up" posts of the threads again tomorrow ICYMI. #5EyesCIPS
The Five Eyes alliance has served the current partners well by giving them an expanded intelligence base. This benefit is enhanced by the opportunity for professional discussions amongst intelligence partner agencies. #5EyesCIPS
All five nations maintain bilateral relationships with other allies. Is there a case for expanding the Five Eyes itself to include some of these allies? My answer is yes. #5EyesCIPS
This book explores the foreign policy of the world’s foremost military coalition during the Syrian Civil War. It analyses the foreign policy debates that took place across the old Anglosphere coalition (US,UK,Aus -2011-2019). #5EyesCIPS
The book defines an Old Anglosphere Coalition (US/UK/Australia).
Why?
Five Eyes is at the heart of the Anglosphere but NZ and Canada, with a 2-step colonial history (facing the UK and a powerful neighbour) are less interventionist #5EyesCIPS
After some wrangling, the FVEY states have arrived at a common position on the use of Huawei technology. But the Huawei snafu is likely just the first of many challenges to alliance solidarity as an expansionist China looks for ways to win allies to its cause. #5EyesCIPS
In January this year the UK Government broke ranks with its Five Eyes allies, confirming that Huawei would be involved in building part of its 5G network. The decision defied warnings from the United States. #5EyesCIPSgov.uk/government/new…
Post-WWII, the FVEY included Australia. This is puzzling because AUS was of marginal importance to the USA, especially on security issues. So, why include AUS in the sharing of intelligence? Was it because of Australia’s status as former British, white colony? #5EyesCIPS
My colleague Lloyd Cox & I argue that cultural affinity and race (whiteness) is central to the special relations between the US and Australia that has led to the sharing of national security intelligence. #5EyesCIPS
Good morning! We will begin today’s Twitter Conference with the 1st panel at 9:30 EST. @abrahamsen_rita will be introducing the panel & it will run until around 12:30 EST. The 2nd panel, introduced by @caredunton, will begin at 13:30 EST & run until around 16:30 EST. #5EyesCIPS
Some panelists will be tweeting their own threads and others will be shared by this account. All posts will have #5EyesCIPS included. After the conference, each panelist’s paper will be on our blog. Check out @srdjanvucetic’s introduction here: cips-cepi.ca/2020/09/27/twi…#5EyesCIPS
Thank you and welcome to everyone logging on and joining us throughout the day! Make sure to come back to our timeline, the blog, or #5EyesCIPS at any point to view highlights. In between each presentation, @srdjanvucetic will be providing discussant comments.