As to why this push now, by the FBI, it may be partly because of the poor tradecraft of the spies, which makes them more obvious and enhances the sense that they are numerous. Having perused the affidavit on Bergerson, I have to say this guy is no prize, and being married to a wife who snatches half of his “gambling winnings” seems pretty just. Of greater professional interest is why the Chinese would pick him in the first place. From his conversations with Kuo it doesn’t seem that his access to the best “secret stuff” was very good. He certainly seems to have received little in the way of careful instructions from Kuo — just some requests, some casual meeting arrangements, and the indispensable Vegas bankroll. This wasn’t a high-level operation.

The implication from that — that Beijing is casting a wide net, rather than solely focusing its resources on fewer, more professional and targeted operations — would suggest both a need for, and profit from, casting a wider net of suspicion of our own. We’re going to find China a different counterespionage problem from Russia though. We’ll tire of casting that wider net before Beijing tires of casting hers. That I can pretty much guarantee.

Sometimes I wonder why I worry about the Chinese Imperialists or any other external threat. Not even the muslims would be taskmasters as harsh as American women are. I stopped feeling guilty about losing their phone numbers after a hookup a long time ago. More power to the guys who found good women, but I don’t waste my time looking anymore.

Who thinks Bergie’s better half will be waiting for him when he gets out of the slammer?

Outrageous. Where was his presumption of innocence and right to privacy.

The Bush administration is becoming more oppressive every day.