Moscow Center Stage.
The FBI sweep of the Russian spy ring is a political gesture by POTUS and his frustrated and overwhelmed Attorney General, Eric Holder. No other purpose is served by rounding up a feckless posse of connivers. Are they KGB illegals from the SVR? Not the first question to answer. What is the purpose of bringing them in from the cold is the first question? My information is that POTUS has no explanation at this time. We are re-introduced to Moscow Center as a threat when it is not a major threat. Cybercrime, yes. Deep-cover spooks hanging out in Cambridge? Nyet. Even the facts about the New York agents add up to clumsy, passive, inert game-playing. Something wrong with this picture? Scott Shane, NYT, tells me that the reason they were not charged with espionage was that in ten years there is no evidence they ever handled classified documents or information, nor even sought such a thing. Strange spying? Or is it that they were hustling Moscow Center? Ten years of paychecks from the SVR and no work product that you cannot get from Facebook. A redhead who calls herself Anna Chapman (right) is a KGB spook? Cannot make this stuff up, unless it is all concocted as a scam on the SVR and the FBI. And how much did it cost the FBI in manpower to follow around Chapman?
Moscow-Berlin Axis.
The major story is that Moscow and Berlin have moved to construct an alliance that is potent, dynamic and ambitious. The alliance does include connection to Paris, London, Warsaw, but not Washington. Moscow promotes a new European security protocol that looks like NATO without Washington. Witty. The security arrangement between Berlin and Moscow can read as if the Non-Aggression PAct of 1939 has been updated to account for the oil and gas pipelines from Russia and the German banks paying for the development in Russia. Cozy and smart.
Putin Disregards POTUS.
Russian P.M. Putin measured POTUS as an ill-prepared and cranky adversary when they met for so-called breakfast in summer of 2009. Putin's measure has not changed, and he has not endeavored to meet with POTUS since. Putin leaves Medvedev the chore of conversing through translators with the young POTUS at various meaningless events. There is no credible relationship between Moscow and Washington. Not on Iran. Not on Kyrgyzstan. Not on Georgia. Not on NATO. Putin has yet to show his hand on the spy ring brouhaha; however, my expectation is that the retaliation will be measured. Putin disregards POTUS so completely that he does not need to show it more than once a year. Putin's hand is strong and swift and chauvinistic. There will be blood. Meanwhile, Putin chooses to speak very softly.
"In connection with the accusations issued by the US against a group of individuals in suspicion of intelligence-gathering activity on behalf of Russia, we state that we are dealing with Russian citizens that at varying times ended up on the territory of the United States, and did not commit any actions directed against the interest of the United States," Putin said. "We assume that they will be granted normal treatment in their places of detention, and that American authorities will guarantee them access to Russian consuls and attorney. We count on the American side's due understanding in this question, based among other things on the positive character of the present stage in development of the Russian-American relations."
Putin and Clinton.
No easy interpretation of the irony that Putin was meeting with Bill Clinton in Moscow when Putin gave out his frowning statement of disdain for the "US police" actions against the spy ring. Bill Clinton did not protest. Imagine another former president sitting by while the Russian boss slapped at the current administration's national security operations against Russian spies? Clinton's chuckling passivity at the moment of maximum disregard is a quiet puzzle.
"You came to Moscow at a right time. Your police got out of control and grabbed some people," Putin said, elciting a laugh from Clinton. "But this is just their job. I really expect that the positive that has been accumulated in the recent time in our international relations will not suffer, and I also hope that those people who value the Russian-American relations understand this in today's situation as well."
hypothesis
it was getting very expensive to follow all these guys around
wrap it up and cut the budget
pretty silly
There’s more to this story than meets the eye. JB covered everything that’s being said in the media (about this) from feigned outrage to feigned amusement - except one. I think the happenstance (you mention) of Bill Clinton being in Moscow at the time is significant.
I'm thinking back to a time when Democrats would do anything they could to make Bush look like a fool, criminal, or both. Remember the Wilson affair? All the opportune leaking to The New York Times? The NIE fiction…? – all engineered from the inside. Could it be that this Montclair thing is something that was hatched by the Clintons to embarrass Obama?
It's not much of a stretch to assume that Hillary still has presidential ambitions. It's no secret that Obama has already proven himself as the head of the Keystone Cops contingent at the White House. As such he is terribly vulnerable. I wouldn't put it past the Clintons to actively undermine him.
The Clintons clearly know the ropes when it comes to handling the press. Look for their fingerprints on every awkward moment Obama may find himself in. This is actually something the hapless Republicans should be doing.
http://peterkoelliker.blogspot.com/
I KNOW WHAT THE RUSSIANS SPIES WERE DOING IN THE US.
One of them was planning to run for president. Then, when elected, he or she would undermine the country with tired, worn-out ideas from the 30s.
Alternatively, contrary to Peter above, Obama could've been trying to embarrass Clinton -- knowing that he was in Moscow. Obama might be afraid that Clinton is stronger, politically, than he is. And, in this instance. he would be right.
Note: Clinton appears to be the only adult who's making sense in the Gulf crisis. His recent, clear explanation of how to handle the disaster was extremely critical of Obama -- saying that the last thing to do is place blame. The first: Stop the gusher w/ an explosion. The fact that he's in Russia, and the Russians have gone nuclear many times to stop gushing wells, makes this explanation that much more reasonable. Add to this, Bill's victory in PA 12 and support for Romanoff in CO makes him very formidable. Who knows? Bill may even back Hillary in 2012.
Consider this: Progressives - like Clinton, Graham, Powell, and others - are getting worried that bumbler Obama will end up wercking their progressive agenda. They decide he's got to be stopped.
Now let's not be too hasty, JB. Redhead Anna Chapman looks very dangerous to me, and as a patriotic former cold warrior, I would be perfectly willing to follow her around for the FBI gratis.
Clever but very risky for the Clintons, if true. AG Holder is under a cloud from the Philadelphia New Black Panthers Voting rights issue. Holder needs to look like he is defending America.
Gulf is the albatross around Obama's neck. Spy scandals are not, at this time unless there is more to this.
-Wisdom
"Holder needs to look like he's defending America."
That's a pretty big assumption when considering this crowd. Holder is not serving independent of Obama. You might say Holder is Obama - like Kagan is Obama, and anybody else he appoints. All Obama's dogs are barking to the same tune. The only one I can figure is not barking is Hillary Clinton.
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My laptop crashed today. I'll have to get a new one. Any ideas out there? Keep in mind; I'm philosophically opposed to Apple.
http://peterkoelliker.blogspot.com/
Bill Clinton? But I thought Hillary was Secretary of State. Or is she already off running against Obama for the next election?