Spooks and Spies
I was rather surprised by the recent announcement that Eric Snowden, the former American 'spook', is seeking political asylum in - wait for it - freedom loving Russia.
Now I can quite accept that America does not always live up to its billing as the 'land of the free and the brave' -
But the last time I looked Russia was playing fast and loose with its constitution to allow Vladimir Putin a third term as President, operating virtually as a one party state, passing legislation that openly discriminates against gay people - and murdering exiled dissidents like Alexander Litvinenko.
And with exquisite timing along comes another scandal from Germany - which just goes to show that to a greater or lesser extent many of the most powerful nations in the world are snooping and spying on each other all the time.
In Germany a married couple - Andreas (54) and Heidrun (48) Anschlag - were jailed earlier this week after spying for Russia for more than two decades - during which they lived a quiet suburban life having entered Germany in 1988 via South America on false Austrian passports.
Andreas and Heidrun (real names Sasaha and Olga) were passing information to Russian handlers - their espionage activities included making a payment of 72,000 Euros to a Dutch diplomat for top secret EU information on Georgia and details of NATO operations in Libya and Afghanistan.
Sasha was caught 'red-handed' (pardon the pun) while sending a short wave radio transmission to his Russian handlers whose private thoughts about modern Germany were worryingly hostile - describing it as the 'land of the enemy'.
Now wonder Angela Merkel gave Vladimir Putin a good kicking during her recent state visit to Russia - but it just goes to show how naïve spooks and spies can be, if Eric Snowden's bizarre choice of an adopted homeland is anything to go by.
For their part the Russians don't seem too keen to welcome him with open arms - which can only mean that they have plenty of work for their home grown agents - at the moment anyway.
