Will America's Allies Withhold Intelligence Because Of Donald Trump?

Noah Rothman, Commentary: Will Allies Keep Trump in the Dark?

“If Putin likes Donald Trump, I consider that an asset; not a liability,” Donald Trump averred. Many Americans with only hazy memories of the Cold War might agree. What, they may ask, are the practical concerns that could arise from having a president who enjoys the respect of an increasingly adversarial regime in the Kremlin? The answers to that question are manifold, but they are also theoretical. Rarely are American voters moved by abstract or potential threats to U.S. allies or interests abroad. The presumed rule that Americans don’t care about foreign policy has one exception, however: terrorism.

One concern arising from Trump’s cozy relationship with Moscow is that American allies in possession of intelligence related to the actions of Russia or its associates—notably the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism, Iran—will withhold their findings. The fear is that American allies will perceive the administration to be compromised by Russia and that any intelligence they share with the Trump administration will be exposed to Moscow-linked agents.

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WNU Editor: If a foreign intelligence agency that is also a ally of the U.S. discovers a terror plot against the U.S. .... and decides to withhold that intel .... there will be hell to pay. The U.S. has numerous bilateral agreements with other countries to cooperate on intelligence .... the UN also has passed numerous resolutions on countries to share intel .... bottom line .... withholding intel is a risk simply not worth taking.