It is of course possible that the FBI just caught 11 Russian spies on US soil. But as these people seem to have passed on information that can be Googled, they were risking a lot for nothing.
The current head of Russian espionage laughed at the methods and information described. The former one, who defected to USA, told BBC America that even at the height of Cold War, the Soviet Union had no more than two spies in the USA. He also said that considering how worthless what was supposedly passed on, somebody was wasting a lot of public money. Wisely, he did not specify who wasted whose money.
I have no idea who Anna Chapman is, but if a 28 graduate of Moscow university lists number of executive jobs on her resume, I think she is a fraud. It takes until mid twenties to graduate from a Russian university and it is rather hard to have at least 4 different, very responsible jobs in 4 years Not much of a credible cover for a spy- or any hiring authority. However I sincerely doubt that only billionaires and prostitutes attend night clubs (LA Times reported that people thought Ms. Chapman to be one of those two option). As per the circus about Mata Harri, well the original one was not much of a spy even if she made for a good legend, but Anna Chapman truly seems like a hopeful (who knows for what except money) nobody. I refuse to feel threatened by a person only because she said that she finds the US interesting because it is easy to meet people of all classes here. I find it charming if naive expectation and comment. Reading the described "traps" laid for those not quite spies, I wondered if perhaps somebody was watching too much of MI5 ( they have a segment where a Russian spy meets her British handler and passes on the information rolled in a Newsweek as well as backpack with secret pocket.). MI5, known as Spooks in Britain, is a TV show, not reality.
I am not blind to the subtle message sent to all by the current circus: civil activities involve contacting political representatives, communication with one or more groups and seeking contacts with higher officials.
All that is part of any civil movement. All of it involves computers, cell phones, meeting, writing, and training (OFBA will train in phone banks and communication with the press).
If the public can be made to believe that any of this, and some truly ridiculous things (a couple was given a tight parking spot by the building managers, got used it and was not interested in change, which the manager described as suspicious) might be part of spying than we are smack back in the 50'. As per prosecution and blacklisting; not economy. . Not an appealing prospect.
Nor truly surprising, considering that scaring Americans by terror from abroad would be admitting that two wars that by now cost a bit over trillion dollars failed.
Better to look for enemy among us. It's cheaper and anyone will do to scare many others.
I hope it is not so. For justice, for the country, for our safety. But I am not sure because we have become a caricature of what human society in 21 century should be.
