Monday, November 12, 2007

Spies of the 21st Century

I was intigued by this article from the International Herald Tribune. Apparently, one of the former Soviet Union's foremost espionage agents, a man named George Koval, died last year, and was posthumously honoured by Russian President Vladimir Putin just last week. The opinion is, as this and other articles about recent Russian political moves show, Putin wants to re-invigorate Russian pride of the motherland, in order to re-assert the Russian Federation as a global player in the 21st century, and possibly beyond.

Which got me thinking: How many Iraqi spies had the former Baathist Regime recruited and installed in Kuwait, before, after and since the Invasion and Occupation of Kuwait back in 1990? How many of them are still at lare, and how many are still operatives to the same masters and handlers? Where are those handlers today? Who are they working for? Al Qaida? Iraq? Iran? U.S.A.? Israel, possibly?

It's somewhat myopic to think that Israel woudln't utilize it's vast and capable intelligence resources in infiltrating the GCC, especially Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., being so pivotal in both regional and global issues.

Case in hand, this article from today's edition of the Kuwait Times talks about an Iranian espionage activity in Kuwaiti waters! Also, this 2003 BBC article talks about Kuwaiti officials uncovering a spy in the Kuwaiti National Guards who passed to the Iraqis information about the movements of Officials in Kuwait.
And in yesterday's Al Qabas, this article cites the Kuwaiti Interior Minister on Kuwait having received threats from "Terrorist Organizations", which was an issue that was on the table for discussion in yesterday's meeting of the military Chiefs of the GCC, the outcome of that meeting was a statement about the GCC armies' readiness to any U.S. attack on Iran.
If the U.S.A. was littered wtih spy rings who are only now popping up in the news, it's almost definite to assume that the former Baathist Iraqi Regime had such activities in Kuwait, some of whom are still operating and going about their business. The question is, for whom? Iraq? U.S.A. ?

No comments: