Former CIA Spies Are Puzzled By Russia's Unprecedented Treatment Of The CIA Moscow Chief

Accused American spy Ryan Fogle, following his detention in Moscow. © Photo Russian Federal Security Service

‘Unprecedented’ CIA Moscow Chief Leak Puzzles Ex-Spies -- RIA Novosti

WASHINGTON, May 17 (By Carl Schreck for RIA Novosti) – Russia’s decision to publicly identify a purported top US spy in the country is an “unprecedented” move in relations between Moscow and Washington with no clear indication of how the United States will react, former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers and security experts told RIA Novosti on Friday.

“Certainly throughout the Cold War, and even after that, there was a practice of not naming the head of the [spy agencies] in the respective countries,” said Peter Earnest, who operated intelligence collection and covert operations in Europe and the Middle East during a 35-year career with the CIA.

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My Comment: What is there to be puzzled about .... the Russians are sending a message to the U.S. because they know that the U.S. is not going to retaliate. In short .... they are going out of their way to humiliate the U.S., and they are making a point of advertising what they are doing to the rest of the world.

CIA Spy Arrested In Moscow Outed As The CIA Station Chief In Russia

 

Russia Reveals Identity Of CIA Moscow Chief Following Ryan Fogle's Expulsion -- The Guardian  

Federal Security Service spokesman breaches protocol as he accuses US agency of crossing 'red line' in its recruitment efforts. The Federal Security Service in Russia has revealed the identity of the CIA's station chief in Moscow in a breach of protocol. The revelation, made by an FSB spokesman who accused the US agency of crossing a "red line" in its attempt to recruit turncoats among Russian spy agencies, will up the ante in the unfolding spy scandal that emerged earlier this week when Russia detained and expelled an alleged CIA agent working undercover as third secretary at the US embassy in Moscow. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor, have taken pains to say they believe the scandal will blow over quickly.   Read more ....

More News On Russia Revealing Who Is The CIA Station Chief In Moscow  

Russian secret service publicly reveals identity of the ‘CIA station chief’ in Moscow following capture of US ‘spy’ -- Daily Mail Russia Outs Alleged Moscow CIA Station Chief -- RIA Novosti Russian secret service publicly reveals identity of the ‘CIA station chief’ in Moscow following capture of US ‘spy’ -- Daily Mail Russia's FSB reveals identity of CIA Moscow station chief -- The Telegraph FSB: CIA crossed ‘red line’ with agent Fogle -- RT The Spy Scandal In Moscow: Nothing To See Here -- Mark Adomanis, Forbes Russian spies still seek to humiliate the West -- Ben Macintyre, The Australian/The Times

Has Russia Made A Fool Of U.S. Secretary Of State Kerry (Again)?

Russia Makes A Fool of Kerry (Again) -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

The report this morning on the front page of the New York Times that Russia is sending a new batch of advanced arms to Syria is very bad news for those who hoped international isolation would lead to the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime. Despite constant predictions over the past two years from President Obama and others in the West that it was only a matter of time before this evil dictator would be forced out, Assad is holding his own. The rebels have not only failed to push him out of Damascus but, if recent accounts of the fighting there are true, they have lost ground as the regime has rolled back the tide of unrest all across the country. Though the rebellion may have fractured the country, as a separate front-page story in the Times testifies, with Iran and its Hezbollah auxiliaries doubling down on their backing for Assad on the ground and emboldened by Russia’s diplomatic support as well as its efforts to resupply the regime’s military, it’s hard to see why anyone would think the dictator is going anywhere in the foreseeable future.

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My Comment: As this blog predicted .... today's announcement of more Russian weapons to the Syrian regime puts a nail to any hope that Russia will pressure the Assad regime to search for a compromise. On the contrary .... Assad and his followers are now embolden, and the war continues.

So much for U.S. hopes and diplomacy that they and the Russians were on the same page on Syria contrary to what critics (like yours truly) were saying. My message to U.S. Secretary of State Kerry is now simple .... fool me once .... shame on you. Fool me twice .... shame on me. The Russians have just fooled you twice.

Update: Why Russia won't cut Syria loose -- Peter Fragiskatos, Special to CNN