We can and should surveil the heck out of the rest of the world -- to be used for intelligence purposes only.
The problem is when this intelligence information gets used for domestic criminal cases -- no matter which country is involved. So if the Saudis want to know every detail about my life, who cares? They never release the data, I'm not a threat to them, and life goes on. But if the Saudis give that information to U.S. authorities, and then the U.S. authorities arrest me for a laundry list of crimes? I've effectively had my privacy and private papers violated without any kind of due process.
You can't start building "escape hatches" into the agreement you have with your government. It breaks the entire system. Used to be that grownups realized this, but lately the well-meaning idiots seem to be in charge.
The problem is when this intelligence information gets used for domestic criminal cases -- no matter which country is involved. So if the Saudis want to know every detail about my life, who cares? They never release the data, I'm not a threat to them, and life goes on. But if the Saudis give that information to U.S. authorities, and then the U.S. authorities arrest me for a laundry list of crimes? I've effectively had my privacy and private papers violated without any kind of due process.
You can't start building "escape hatches" into the agreement you have with your government. It breaks the entire system. Used to be that grownups realized this, but lately the well-meaning idiots seem to be in charge.