Flower power
I didn’t get a comment on the "Gang that Couldn’t Spook Straight," otherwise known as the hapless Russian spy ring that never seemed to do any spying. It turns out one of the spies was a student here at the Kennedy School, but I didn’t have any contact with him and can’t offer you any ...
I didn't get a comment on the "Gang that Couldn't Spook Straight," otherwise known as the hapless Russian spy ring that never seemed to do any spying. It turns out one of the spies was a student here at the Kennedy School, but I didn't have any contact with him and can't offer you any inside information. Given that Harvard Law School has Alger Hiss among its alumni, I'd say we've still got a ways to go. But as a colleague of mine noted, it does lend a new meaning to the term "mid-career program."
I didn’t get a comment on the "Gang that Couldn’t Spook Straight," otherwise known as the hapless Russian spy ring that never seemed to do any spying. It turns out one of the spies was a student here at the Kennedy School, but I didn’t have any contact with him and can’t offer you any inside information. Given that Harvard Law School has Alger Hiss among its alumni, I’d say we’ve still got a ways to go. But as a colleague of mine noted, it does lend a new meaning to the term "mid-career program."
In any case, my favorite line in the whole business was uttered by a neighbor of "Richard and Cynthia Murphy" of Montclair, NJ. "They couldn’t have been spies," joked 15 year-old Jessie Gugig. "Look what she did with the hydrangeas!"
I guess this means prospective al Qaeda moles can conceal their true identities by cultivating nice gardens (while taking care not to buy too much fertilizer, of course). But that also means we ought to be suspicious if anyone’s garden is too nice. Uh-oh… I’ve got three hydrangeas in bloom in my garden right now, and if I start getting the fish-eye from my neighbors, I guess I’ll know why.
Stephen M. Walt is a columnist at Foreign Policy and the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University. Twitter: @stephenwalt
More from Foreign Policy
At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment
Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.
How Macron Is Blocking EU Strategy on Russia and China
As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way.
What the Bush-Obama China Memos Reveal
Newly declassified documents contain important lessons for U.S. China policy.
Russia’s Boom Business Goes Bust
Moscow’s arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Union’s collapse.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
