More Russian Spies, Despite Cold War's End

Feb. 20 -- In Washington, the FBI has claimed to capture a spy for Russia within its own ranks.

The case is part of a larger pattern of persistent post-Cold War espionage. Instead of focusing on Washington's military secrets, as the Soviet Union did, Moscow today is searching for signs that the United States will try to destabilize Russia. The government of Russian leader Vladimir Putin is also searching for desperately needed clues about advanced technology and a suspected fifth column of Western sympathizers.

A 27-year veteran agent of the FBI, Robert Hanssen faces charges that he has spied for the former Soviet Union and Russia since 1985, allegedly passing documents to Moscow and identifying double agents.

Espionage on the Rise

The case is part of a larger pattern of persistent post-Cold War spying.

With the end of the Cold War a decade ago, it would seem to make sense that espionage between Russia and the United States would ebb. However, espionage is on the rise, particularly with the arrests of alleged spies on both sides in the last year.

Washington continues to conduct operations against Russia to determine if Moscow can ever again pose a strategic threat.

The Russian government continues to conduct operations against the United States, in turn, out of fear that the United States and its allies could move to weaken and destabilize Russia. This fear is resident at three levels: at the highest levels of the Putin government, which includes a variety of former KGB officers, within the ranks of the Russian military and, of course, within the newly reconfigured Russian intelligence community.

These fears are driven by real life examples. The United States led the bombing campaigns against Yugoslavia, effectively helping to cleave Bosnia and Kosovo from Belgrade's control. NATO, driven by Washington, continues to expand eastward toward Russia's frontier. Washington, under the Clinton administration, expanded military-to-military contacts throughout the former Soviet Union. And the recent bombing of Iraq underscores Washington's apparent willingness to shake the foundations of nations, at least to observers in Moscow.