The United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) does not spy on the government of the United Arab Emirates even though that country’s affiliations and actions on the world stage do not always align with US interests, former CIA officials warn.
For instance, the UAE finances Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar who aims to overthrow the internationally recognized Libyan government; it plays a leading role in the controversial economic blockade of Qatar by various countries; and it has hired former members of the US intelligence community to carry out cyber espionage activities on targets around the globe. Despite this, the CIA does not collect “human intelligence” from UAE informants on the country’s government, which critics believe creates a blind spot in US intelligence.
Read more: Why the CIA doesn’t spy on the UAE
