This is interesting insider’s take on the shady world of espionage. However, I think do this that spy scandal has something to do with Russia’s position on the U.S unilateral economic sanction and impending military strike against Iran. Russians must have taken a hardliner’s view to the U.S military strike or additional unilateral economic sanction against Iran for President Obama to authorise this little Russian ‘spy’ scandal to hit the world media headlines. Obama may have failed getting his way despite lobbying Russia aggressively to come onboard both strong economic sanction and potential U.S/Israel military aggression against Iran. The U.S both ticks [espionage scandal] and carrots [promise of letting Russia into the WTO] to bring Russia on board to the eventual U.S/Israel military attack against Iran. Thus, when this little spy scandal broke out, Mr. Clinton was in Moscow and Mr. Lavrov. I am sure Iran was the top of the agendas in meeting in Israel and in Russia and this is the timing Lavrov is referring to not the week old burger and fries meeting in Washington. Finally, Iran is putting pressure on Russia to deliver the air defense weapons S-300. If Russia fails to do so-because of U.S pressure-Iran claimed that it will go to China. Of course, the Russia’s S-300s are better than any cloned version made in China but Russia will lose billions of roubles in the process. More than that, Russia will risk losing the respect and the trust of the global south. That is nations of the global south may now question Russia as a reliable and trustworthy partner.

OK, but what is RT? Equally pure for sure. Try to get an interview with the agents who just smuggled your dude out of Cyprus -- that will be a damn good story. (Or try to interview the CIA agents in Cyprus must have tailed his escape... i can't imagine our own spooks weren't on that -- if not, that will be sad scandal in and of itself.)

It _is_ amazing that an accused spy on Cyprus can just disappear without his passport (according to the latest news). I mean, that island is not very big. This story is getting better than any spy novel.

In good time and bad time, all government want to have an upper hand in information, the USA at this time have large number of spy in Russia, East and west Europa. You can see some of the so call terrorist attack in Russia has USA intelligent unit signature, how real is this linkage nobody know, sometimes even Obama doesn't know. Then there 3rd parties intelligent unit who under some foundations payroll in USA, they cater to special interest, eg; arm supplier, mining company, oil company, Jew group and others, which are not control by Washington but at time provide some senator valuable information. Nevertheless, whichever countries invest sufficiently in intelligent business will reap bountiful return. Information is power, the Soviet Union fall because superior USA intelligent group operation inside Soviet, sabotaging the economy and create regional independent. If you ask most common people in Ukraine, Georgia, Latvia Uzbekistan and other region, most of them had no idea about being independent and prefer to live under Soviet system.

@MEJanssen, Cyprus is the perfect place to 'escape' to or from. It's an offshore haven, so all sorts of characters are there, including thousands of Russians. It also has a Northern, Turkish, part. Easy to grease a palm or two, and conveniently accessible by air or sea. The question is: apart from money laundering (look it up in the dictionary and there's a map of Cyprus there), what right would Interpol or the Cypriot police have to arrest him? These are non-violent, internal US "breaches" - no espionage charges. @ John, Terrific argument about RT - not! Are you upset that the operation and charges are being labelled "ridiculous"? Is anyone at FOX News asking the same questions, or is it fait accompli that your spooks got it right? Anyway, what information are these guys guilty of passing on? The Colonel's secret recipe for the 11 herbs and spices? KFC has already infiltrated Moscow.

Rather than "spies", these Russians most likely are illegal aliens who have settle into the American way of life and formed a network to maintain contact with the old country. I don't believe Obama's CIA can tell the difference between an illegal alien and a true spy. What can one expect from a White House run by a south Chicago street "coordinator". I never understood what Obama did as "street coordinator".

Kihnu Obama did very little for Chicago before he became a president or now he is the President of the United States. Obama first went Chicago as a student because white mother's brother was there. But as a black president, Obama to avoid showing often the history of the white family who brought him up.Obama has always out for one and only himself. But Russians are placing all there hopes of the reset with the U.S ruling elite on Oabma!

PR101: " But Russians are placing all there hopes of the reset with the U.S ruling elite on Obama!" Very foolish of the Russians to rely on Obama for anything. Obama is an emotionally unstable and confused individual who can not be relied upon. He appears to have an almost inherent pathological inferiority complex because his father was a vagrant African and his mother seemed to have little respect her own family and country, as she wandered around the Third World. Understandable, Obama has some self-esteem issues to confront. Such emotions confuse Obama and make him unpredictable. He is the least capable person to ever occupy the Oval Office.

Today is the 1 year anniversary of the FBI arrest of Sergey Alenikov, the Math Whiz Russian Computer programmer. Aleynikov was arrested on an airplane in NJ by the FBI on July 3rd, 2009 after stealing over 1000 secret codes and files on Goldman Sachs and sending them to a web site in Germany. Today is the anniversary of that FBI arrest. Where is the TV coverage of this huge Wall Street Scandal involving the Russian Computer whiz at Goldman Sachs. Not to mention that Hank Paulson secretly meet with many Goldman Sachs board members in Moscow in June 2008. ! year later came the arrest by the FBI see the youtube video that came out today 1 Year later : here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgLmcl-iwf0 How has the TV news media not connected all the dots and followed the Russian trail back to Goldman Sachs, not to mention Germany uncovering the Goldman Sachs secrets, then banning naked short selling on May 18th, 2010. follow the story here www.Twitter.com/StockShockmovie. truly amazing how TV news has covered up this Russian FBI arrest of the Goldman Sachs worker. Richard

It's a pity that no one here has apparently read the Affidavits produced by the FBI. They make interesting reading.

I love how everyone comes up with the conspiracy theories when this happens. Anyone stop to think why she is a "former" agent. Probably because of her fantasy world. The simple truth is everyone continues to spy on everyone else. Remember the big deal about the Mossad agents caught in the U.S. There is nothing fancy to be read into this, it is just another spy bust. It will continue forever.