Lawmaker Questioned on Israeli Spying and the U.S. Alliance

Does Mossad share all of its intelligence with us?

Oh, probably not, but they share a lot.

We don't share all of our intelligence with them, but we share a lot.

It's a close alliance.

Do they spy domestically in the United States?

Oh, they probably do, and we do as well.

And friends and allies spy on each other.

And I assume all of our allies spy on us.

And that's okay with you?

You know what?

One of the things about being a conservative is that you're not naive and utopian.

You don't think humans are all...

Part of the reason socialism doesn't work is the mantra from each according to his abilities to each according to his needs doesn't work.

As a conservative, I assume people act in their rational self-interest.

So it's conservative to pay people to spy on you?

It's conservative to recognize that human beings act in their own self-interest, and every one of our friends spies on us.

And I'm not...

Do you like it?

That's my question.

I'm not asking whether they have motive to do it.

Of course they do.

I understand that.

I'm not mad at them, but you're an American lawmaker.

So I just want to know your attitude.

You said that your guiding principle, in fact, the only principle, the only criterion...

I said guiding, the overwhelming.

I wouldn't say only.

Is it in America's interest?

Is it in America's interest for Israel to spy on us, including on the president?

It is in America's interest to be closely allied with Israel because we get huge benefits for it.

And you want to see the clerics...

But I just want to stop on the spying for a second, that it takes place, as you know, including on the president of the United States and several precedents.

And I just want to know if that's okay and why is it okay?

Wouldn't an American lawmaker say to a client state, you're not allowed to spy on us?

I'm sorry.

I know why you want to.

I'm not mad at you, but you're not allowed to.

Sure.

And I don't care for it.

I don't want to be spied on by you.

Is that...

It's kind of weird not to say that, but you don't seem able to say that.