Maestro
Master Sergeant
I think it was more like a trade... I heard on the news they got 4 US prisonners for those 10 spies.
Agreed, 4 against 10 is no big deal...
Agreed, 4 against 10 is no big deal...
Russian Spies...
- Thread starter Night Fighter Nut
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- Thread starter
- #22
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
By the way, in a conversation with my father in law in Russia, he tells me that there are people there who are embarrassed for Russia.
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Maestro
Master Sergeant
Agreed.
Ya' know, the older pictures of her from her early 20s are of a girl that is cute. But the most recent stuff is showing somebody who's drifting towards Babuska. Little chubby, little round, nose getting a tad big. From cute as a button to fat as a cow in 10 20 years. It's commin' Anna girl, it's commin'!
Zniperguy114
Airman
Too bad he's closing Guantanamo bay.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Redheads so work for me!
Maestro
Master Sergeant
Blondes, brunettes or redheads... They all work for me as long as they are cute.
- Thread starter
- #29
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
You know I noticed that quite a few russian women dye their hair red when I last visited. It seems to be one of the favorite colors. Didn't we use to have a saying, better dead than red?
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Yes we did, but I think it's flipped now 
I don' think you can look at it that way.
1. It was a prisoner swap, we received some our ours back in return. This is nothing new. It happened all throughout the cold war as well. Spy prisoner swaps happened very frequently during the Cold War and were usually conducted at border crossings or bridges in East/West Berlin.
2. Any other administration (including a Republic one) would have done the same thing.
B-17engineer
Colonel
Who had the idea to swap?
If it was our idea what would the Russians have done with ours if we never suggested a swap? Just curious
If it was our idea what would the Russians have done with ours if we never suggested a swap? Just curious
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
I agree with Adler here, spy-swaps are nothing new. Its cheaper to give them back than to toss them in a gulag after beating them dry. Its happened with both parties, regardless of political leanings.
The way I see it (may or may not resemble reality in any way, shape or form), there are always spies in every country, and for the most part, those countries will have a general idea of who may/may not be spies. Low-level spies/couriers will probably be tagged within a very short period of time, and either left in place to lead the watchers to bigger fish, turned and started feeding false information, defect, or eventually be scooped up and swapped for another low-level spy/courier. I don't think there's that much of a lag between different countries finding/scooping spies, if needed. Nowadays, spies in civilized countries (yeah, I laughed too) probably spend time in jail somewhere, courtesy of the CIA. Torture=Playstation 1, on an old-fashioned CRT TV. Without a remote.
The way I see it (may or may not resemble reality in any way, shape or form), there are always spies in every country, and for the most part, those countries will have a general idea of who may/may not be spies. Low-level spies/couriers will probably be tagged within a very short period of time, and either left in place to lead the watchers to bigger fish, turned and started feeding false information, defect, or eventually be scooped up and swapped for another low-level spy/courier. I don't think there's that much of a lag between different countries finding/scooping spies, if needed. Nowadays, spies in civilized countries (yeah, I laughed too) probably spend time in jail somewhere, courtesy of the CIA. Torture=Playstation 1, on an old-fashioned CRT TV. Without a remote.
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
and some of these guys were here for 30 years or so - in this country - and now in 2 weeks time have been dropped in a whole new world.
- Thread starter
- #35
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Perhaps, but where is the deterent. Didn't prisoner swaps happen after the spies were questioned to see what they do or don't know? I don't think those prison swaps happened within a half months time, more like after at least a years time. I may be wrong but I feel there should be something that more discourages rather than incourages them.
Perhaps, but where is the deterent. Didn't prisoner swaps happen after the spies were questioned to see what they do or don't know? I don't think those prison swaps happened within a half months time, more like after at least a years time. I may be wrong but I feel there should be something that more discourages rather than incourages them.
That is not how it works. It is more important to get your guys out and find out what they know, and protect them. Also neither country (Russia or the US) would allow anyone with information that is a serious threat to national security get out. They know what these guys know, and they do the swap. If they knew something serious you bet they would still be held and questioned.
Another reason why they are not treated so harshly is because you have to think about your spies that are out in other countries. How would you want them treated if they are caught. It is not black and white like that. We the US are not innocent, we spy on everyone as well. So if we have a great "deterrent" against foreign spies, how do you think another country will treat our spies.
The spy business is not as glamorous as Hollywood makes it out to be. Most spies as a matter of fact are national citizens that are recruited.
Every country spies on one another, even our allies. It is a normal thing.
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- Thread starter
- #37
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
That makes sense. I never implied spying to be glamorous, rather the opposite. Its a dangerous business. Just because one country is nice to the spies it catches doesn't mean the other will be also. That's right up there with the Geneva convention. Just because we follow it doen't mean the other will. I do see your point however.
- Thread starter
- #38
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Well I just got back from Russia and now I have sample of their view of this situation. Answers I got from them seem to fall along the different age groups. The younger generation is making all kinds of fun about it. There are now a few kid pamphlets about spies and spying on the local news stands. Tongue and cheek stuff mostly. The average adult doesn't care. The older generation feels embarrased and can't believe the stupidity of those caught. So there you have it. The situation as seen from both sides.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
That's pretty interesting. I imagine if it was the opposite Americans would feel the same way.
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Probably true, VB. Most of what the younger-ish generations know about spying comes from "James Bond" and "Jason Bourne" movies.
