The Economist magazine said the most important consequences of the leak will be political in nature. It said the incident would make it clear to everyone that America's spies are gathering intelligence on their closest allies.
The Five Eyes is widely regarded as the world's most important intelligence alliance. Its origins can be traced back to the context of World War II and its necessity for sharing vital information between Britain and the United States so that they can bolster their war efforts. Until the end of the Cold War, the five countries were united in their attempts to defeat the Soviet Union.