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Secret Programs and Real Life Spies

Happywatcher

By Happywatcher
in The Americans [V]

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Umbelina
Umbelina

I pulled out my DVD of the movie RED last night, and listened to the commentary by Robert Baer, 21 year vet of the CIA, author, and sometimes commentator on CNN, again.  It was better, and more releva

albaniantv
albaniantv

I came on here to post the Barsky link and of course you all are way ahead of me. That was a much better,more detailed than usual 60 " profile-- maybe they are being more careful and less dramatic sin

Umbelina
Umbelina

I was thumbing through that book last night, and sure enough, pen bugs, and pen cameras were in there, including photos of some real ones through the decades.   I see why I didn't have to pay the $1

crgirl412

crgirl412

On 6/23/2016 at 9:34 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I would, but I don't think there is much interest in it. I'll consider it though. 

Here or on the CNN forum?  BTW, I can't find it on here.  I think there used to be one.  If you created one on here, there would be interest!! 

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kokapetl

kokapetl

On 30/12/2016 at 2:32 PM, gwhh said:

They have to put these locations in the show:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4074720/Inside-luxury-resorts-Russian-spies-roamed-free-decades.html

God I hate the Daily Mail. Those houses are for diplomats and ambassadors. D.C.-Maryland and UN-NY. Their existence is totally unremarkable. And the abuse of diplomatic immunity by foreign states for their agents is well known. Again, unremarkable. 

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Umbelina

Umbelina

(edited)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/11/thought-smarter-everybody-kgb-spy-jack-barsky?CMP=fb_gu
 

Quote

Later, a group of KGB men came to Dittrich’s apartment for a lavish, boozy banquet, where the man who appeared the highest-ranking made an announcement: Dittrich was to become part of the Soviet “illegals” programme in the US, the most elite and secretive part of the KGB’s operations. Illegals were able to work in a way that agents under diplomatic cover could not; they were also under instruction to lie in reserve for the so-called “special period”, a potential all-out war between the Soviet Union and the US, when diplomatic ties were broken.

Quote

 

'I thought I was smarter than almost everybody': my double life as a KGB agent

Raised in East Germany, Jack Barsky abandoned his mother, brother, wife and son to spy for the KGB. In America, he started a second family. And then it all came crashing down...

 

Edited by Umbelina
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Umbelina

Umbelina

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/americanss5/2017/02/the_americans.html?utm_source=liftfacebook&utm_campaign=fxamericans&utm_medium=desktop&utm_content=nl

Hard to choose a thread for this one. 

Quote

 

Spies Then vs. Spies Now

How the Evolution of Technology Changed Espionage

When The Americans debuted in 2013, no one could have guessed that it would become one of the most relevant political dramas of our time — yet here we are. The show, now entering its fifth season, follows Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, a typical suburban couple juggling parenthood, marriage, and KGB espionage. Despite the wacky wigs and quaint technology, the Cold War was no party. In fact, it spawned rampant anti-American propaganda and conspiracy theories, the threat of mutually assured destruction, a space race that put men on the moon, and the KGB -- a now-defunct Soviet Union security agency responsible for training the fictional Jenningses.

 

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RedHawk

RedHawk

On October 22, 2016 at 0:54 PM, gwhh said:

Stan FBI office is NOT the main FBI office in DC.  Where is he suppose to work out of on the show?

Stan's office IS in the main FBI headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in DC. They've done occasional shots where we see out the windows of Gaad's office and they get the background/outside buildings right. I just re-watched the last two episodes of S4 and there's an exterior shot that may have confused you because it's the Justice Department Building not the FBI. It's where we see Arkady being questioned by Justice Dept. officials.

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gwhh

gwhh

8 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

Stan's office IS in the main FBI headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in DC. They've done occasional shots where we see out the windows of Gaad's office and they get the background/outside buildings right. I just re-watched the last two episodes of S4 and there's an exterior shot that may have confused you because it's the Justice Department Building not the FBI. It's where we see Arkady being questioned by Justice Dept. officials.

I read several other places Stan office was at another location.  There are TWO main FBI offices in the DC.  Stan office may be at the DC field office location.  But they may just go between the two locations a lot.

 

https://www.fbi.gov/history/field-office-histories/washingtondc

 

Another interesting spy related link here:

 

http://electrospaces.blogspot.com/

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Chalby

Chalby

On March 11, 2015 at 1:54 PM, Umbelina said:

My book just arrived from Better World Books, it's huge.  Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/book-review-spycraft-secret-history-cia%E2%80%99s-spytechs-communism-al-qaeda-robert-wallace-and-h

 

I need to get my taxes done and several birthday presents wrapped and mailed, but I'll let you guys know if I learn anything good from it!

I am jealous. I love books like that. Actually, I love historical information, period. Make sure you share some info.

On May 10, 2015 at 5:40 PM, gwhh said:

The Soviet Union economy stopped growing in the mid 1970's. According, to all data from the post Cold War world.

So... what's it existing on...? I can't imagine the entire country's economy up and checking out. If anything, its people appear more purposeful and patriotic than usual. Something's going on...

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gwhh

gwhh

(edited)
On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 2:32 AM, Chalby said:
On ‎5‎/‎17‎/‎2015 at 7:07 PM, Chaos Theory said:

I posted this on the Speculation Thread (as well as some possible speculation that I WONT post here)   HA HA, my chuckle for the day, thanks for the (pun?)

1985: The Year of the Spy

I always wondered if that just happened to all happen at once OR if they got info from a double agent or defector on all those people?  Than again RR just got reelected.  Maybe he wanted to make a statement to the USSR about spying in the USA.  And he made all the government spies cases come out at once for an arrest to make everyone think.  We got the USSR on the run. 

Edited by gwhh
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RedHawk

RedHawk

On March 4, 2017 at 2:06 PM, gwhh said:

I read several other places Stan office was at another location.  There are TWO main FBI offices in the DC.  Stan office may be at the DC field office location.  But they may just go between the two locations a lot.

 

https://www.fbi.gov/history/field-office-histories/washingtondc

 

Another interesting spy related link here:

 

http://electrospaces.blogspot.com/

Good articles, thanks! 

I don't mean to beat this into the ground but could you post one of those articles that says Stan isn't working in the Hoover Building? In the most recent episode ("Pests") we got an establishing shot just before scenes of Stan in the FBI office. The building shown is definitely the Hoover Building entrance at 9th and G Streets. In other episodes we see the Department of Justice building, which is a few blocks away, and I think that could confuse some viewers. Also, maybe it's historically wrong to show Stan, Gaad, Aderholt, etc. working out of the Hoover Building when in reality they would have been in the other (DC field office) building, but the show has clearly placed them there. 

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Umbelina

Umbelina

It's so strange, I think the showrunners had no idea that this whole Russian thing would end up being politically current.  I think they were actually trying to AVOID that, or any connection with the minefield of present day politics.

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Umbelina

Umbelina

I find it kind of interesting that in 1984 and 1985 the USA had the most spy traitors caught, from the FBI and CIA, and maybe one from another agency?  They could have been caught much earlier, but the various intelligence agencies didn't trust each other, or work together, or share information.

The show historically tends to hit most high points, but can't fit them all in, but considering Stan's actions, and the HOT BLOND, I have to wonder if an investigation of Stan doesn't fit right in to this time period.

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Umbelina

Umbelina

Lot's of Russian bodies suddenly turning up in real life in connection with the investigation into Russian treason/collusion with our current administration.  Am I the only one who, for a moment anyway, thinks of this show every time another body turns up?

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Umbelina

Umbelina

That sounds good.  I loved this part of the review:

Quote

The chief of the agency’s Moscow station, meanwhile, was often fighting a rear-guard action against headquarters in Langley, Va. Bosses there long rebuffed Mr. Tolkachev’s urgent requests for an “L-pill,” a lethal cyanide dose hidden in a pen, even after his contacts decided it would give him critical reassurance. Likewise, headquarters insisted on giving him a new communications device called Discus, over the objections of officials in the Moscow station.

Looks like on the ground CIA spies had just as much trouble with an oblivious "Center" (Headquarters in this case) as do our Phil and Liz.

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Umbelina

Umbelina

(edited)

http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/look-inside-a-cold-war-era-nuclear-missile-bunker/?ftag=ACQ449302a&vndid=1859650194&nan_pid=1859650194&ad_id=5314274

Inside a Cold War-era nuclear missile bunker, not exactly spy stuff, but fascinating photos frozen in time.  The Ronald Reagan preserved site.  Great photos.

Some comments on Facebook are cool though, including this one:

Quote

Where did those plates, saucers and mugs come from? We never had those, all we had was foil packs. It is evident this was set up for show. Of course O-O was always the "Show Site" and does not always entirely reflect how all the others lived. All the same, nice to see the public finally able to get an "idea of what it was like."

Others saying they had exactly those plates/cups in theirs.  A Nuke Sub guy saying how those guys had it easy, and talks about months under the sea with their launchers.

Lots of people who worked in these bunkers discussing their experiences...CBS news Facebook page somewhere.

Edited by Umbelina
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Moose135

Moose135

That's neat, @Umbelina.  An old college buddy was a Missile Launch Officer, and could tell some interesting stories about pulling alert down in the silo.  I pulled my share of alert, but being a tanker toad, mine was normally above ground!

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crgirl412

crgirl412

On 5/4/2017 at 10:20 PM, sistermagpie said:

Interview with a doctor from the actual Soviet bioweapons program. He says they did use weaponized Glanders in Afghanistan...

 

https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/npr/alibek63.pdf

Really interesting!!  Thank you for posting!! 

The Soviets did use glanders in Afghanistan!!  I wonder if the US has looked into the details from the Afghan side as Dr. Alibek suggested.  I hope so!!     

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crgirl412

crgirl412

I don't know where to put this!! 

I've heard "Russia or Russians" about a million times over the last few days no matter where I turn!  It makes me think of The Americans and I'm missing it!!  Who is Natalia Veselnitskaya, really?????  

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crgirl412

crgirl412

I watched Declassified!  It was SOOOOOOO Good!!!! Even though I know that Illegals are real, it really hit home for me that there are really people living here among us, befriending us and are using Americans to benefit a country that is against the things that we stand for.

Elizabeth and Philip are going down and I can't wait!  Stan and the FBI are going to get their acts together and bust them!    

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Nash

Nash

On 23/07/2017 at 3:15 AM, crgirl412 said:

I watched Declassified!  It was SOOOOOOO Good!!!! Even though I know that Illegals are real, it really hit home for me that there are really people living here among us, befriending us and are using Americans to benefit a country that is against the things that we stand for.

Elizabeth and Philip are going down and I can't wait!  Stan and the FBI are going to get their acts together and bust them!    

I doubt that will be anytime soon - and on current performance the FBI will take far too long to break the network; betrayal by a defector is far more likely in a real world context. Which leaves a character driven plot contrivance which could be shaky. Yes, I think P&E will have their collars felt but I don't think it'll be a "hoo-wah" ending. 

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crgirl412

crgirl412

1 hour ago, Nash said:

I doubt that will be anytime soon - and on current performance the FBI will take far too long to break the network; betrayal by a defector is far more likely in a real world context. Which leaves a character driven plot contrivance which could be shaky. Yes, I think P&E will have their collars felt but I don't think it'll be a "hoo-wah" ending. 

Given this last disappointing season, I think you are right. 

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