On: Spain expels two US spies for infiltrating secret ...

[MichaelZuo]

I'm pretty sure the Australian and New Zealand governments don't try to do so against each other.

[jl6 → MichaelZuo]

Does spying have to be “against” the target? Perhaps allies spy on each other to make sure they are still allies.

[MichaelZuo → jl6]

I highly doubt the opposite party would even want to be allies if their promises mean nothing and it takes the reports of moles to create trust in their sincerity.

It seems like a self-defeating exercise.

[fortzi → MichaelZuo]

Alliance is not about love and trust. It’s about interests. Indeed, for an alliance to be possible, trust is needed, but only to a certain extent. Don’t mistake alliance for friendship. The former is between political entities, while the latter is between people.

[MichaelZuo → fortzi]

A bonafide alliance must necessarily entail sometimes acting faithfully even to the detriment of one's interests.

If the 'allies' are only faithful and only believe each other until the moment that threshold is crossed then it's just regular diplomatic relations.

e.g. Nearly every country cooperates with nearly every other country on such terms in the areas where they share bonafide mutual interests.

[tjpnz → MichaelZuo]

Both are members of Five Eyes and one is in bed with China. It would make sense for Australia to be keeping an eye on things.