The Spies Next Door 07/02/2010
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Since the round-up of a suspected Russian spy ring on Tuesday, discussion has centered on the scandal’s effect on US-Russia relations and the so-called ‘reset button.’ President Obama and his critics expressed concern that these arrests could derail the administration’s rapprochement with the Kremlin. For both sides, the episode seems to underscore the fact that Cold War legacies persist and ‘Russia is still Russia.’
This pessimistic reaction is understandable, but historically misguided. Even during the Cold War and its aftermath, the relationship survived Rudolf Abel, Gary Powers, Aldrich Ames, and Robert Hanssen. Neither Moscow nor Washington will let this comical affair undermine bilateral ties. Indeed, they have so far refused to engage in tit-for-tat expulsions or other diplomatic provocations.
The truly shocking thing about this incident is what it reveals about Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR. Despite the large number of ex-KGB officials in the Kremlin, Russia’s undercover operatives appear unprepared, sloppy, and amateurish. The most famous, the red-headed Anna Chapman, was hardly discrete and commonly made mistakes in written English. Cutbacks in funding and training have clearly taken a toll on this once fearsome institution.
Another interesting facet of this saga is its apparent futility. Unlike previous cases of espionage and defection, this program did not deliver any real classified information to Moscow. Kim Philby and the Cambridge Five gave Stalin revealing secrets about the US’s nuclear arsenal and its intention to create NATO. These eleven deep-cover agents provided nothing but gossip easily available on Google. If Russia is going to continue spying on the US, it should really try to get better value for its money.
This pessimistic reaction is understandable, but historically misguided. Even during the Cold War and its aftermath, the relationship survived Rudolf Abel, Gary Powers, Aldrich Ames, and Robert Hanssen. Neither Moscow nor Washington will let this comical affair undermine bilateral ties. Indeed, they have so far refused to engage in tit-for-tat expulsions or other diplomatic provocations.
The truly shocking thing about this incident is what it reveals about Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR. Despite the large number of ex-KGB officials in the Kremlin, Russia’s undercover operatives appear unprepared, sloppy, and amateurish. The most famous, the red-headed Anna Chapman, was hardly discrete and commonly made mistakes in written English. Cutbacks in funding and training have clearly taken a toll on this once fearsome institution.
Another interesting facet of this saga is its apparent futility. Unlike previous cases of espionage and defection, this program did not deliver any real classified information to Moscow. Kim Philby and the Cambridge Five gave Stalin revealing secrets about the US’s nuclear arsenal and its intention to create NATO. These eleven deep-cover agents provided nothing but gossip easily available on Google. If Russia is going to continue spying on the US, it should really try to get better value for its money.
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