> I find it interesting that the set of five countries: UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. I'd like to know how the US came up with this list. Is it be

> I find it interesting that the set of five countries: UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. I'd like to know how the US came up with this list. Is it because we speak the same language? These are the "Five Eyes" countries and have been closely linked for national intelligence since World War II. The U.S. will monitor literally everyone else that it can, and has done so since WWII proved how useful national security intelligence is for toward national security. For years you've been able to Google "In God We Trust; All Others We Monitor" and find various intelligence community posters, unit patches, etc. The leak to SPON helps confirm that with numbers. But Germany's leaders have undoubtedly known it was going on, just as France's, Russia's, etc.