[Insert Spy Pun Here]

So, apparently we've got ourselves a little spy hunt. Tom Clancy must be psyched. It's pretty early to be commenting on the veracity of the charges, but I thought I'd point out something that has been noted before by other folks, but that is worthy of repeating in this context.

At times like these, it's very interesting to look at how Russia's leaders interpret operations within the US government; the theory is that they construe our actions in light of their own behavior and style of governance. According to the reporting I've seen, Putin and Lavrov are focusing intensively on the notion that the recent arrests were not an action based on the rule of law, but ordered by individuals within the US government who are bent on derailing US-Russian relations just as they are on the mend. In so doing, they are revealing the fractious nature of Russia's internal politics, as well as hammering home the point that for many Russian politicians, at least, the rule of law comes only after convenience and political necessity have been satisfied.

As I mentioned, this is not a new idea, but it's one worth remembering, both when attempting to predict Russia's reactions to US policies, but also when parsing everyday occurrences within the Kremlin.