On Wed, Feb 21, 2001 at 03:40:30PM -0800, Joshua Bell wrote:
> >From MSNBC news, re: the FBI agent who allegedly sold secrets to the
> >KGB.
>
> First, a quote from the article
> (http://www.msnbc.com/news/533071.asp?0nm=T11O):
>
> "One of the most serious charges against Hanssen is that he
> independently disclosed the identity of two KGB officials who had
> been recruited by the U.S. government to serve as double agents while
> working at the Soviet Embassy in Washington."
>
> And then a quote:
>
> "Allegations of espionage are a reminder that we live in a dangerous
> world, a world that sometimes does not share American values," said
> [President] Bush. "To anyone who would betray its trust, I warn you,
> we�ll find you and we�ll bring you to justice."
>
> Is there an interpretation of this that does not make the US look
> terribly hypocritical?
Ha, not likely!
> (Of course, it'd be stupid not to have spies,
agreed
> and only sensible to deny having them.
Hmm, I wonder. It seems that there could be a workable system where you
admit to having spies, even lots of them. You would just have to be much
less self-righteous when you caught someone else spying on YOU. Maybe
a gentleman's agreement something along the lines of, if we catch your
spies we will deport/bar them and publicize their identities; and, of
course, the same would be done to our spies, by the opponent, if our
spies are caught.
--
"Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.erikreuter.com/
