Stratfor has provided a fascinating analysis of the new world now that Russia is back as a world power. Here is an excerpt:
Putin has tapped many former KGB and current FSB members to fill positions within Russian big business, the Duma and other political posts. Putin’s initial reasoning was that those within the intelligence community thought of Russia the same way he did — as a great state domestically and internationally. Putin also knew that those within the intelligence community would not flinch at his sometimes brutal means of consolidating Russia politically, economically, socially and in other ways. It could be reasonably argued that Russia has become an “intelligence state” under Putin.Since assuming power, Putin has also worked to strengthen the Russian military and the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency. The GRU was undoubtedly very involved in the operation in Georgia, as was the SVR. There are some who suggest that Russian agents of influence may have played a part in convincing Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to attack South Ossetia and spring a trap the Russians had set.
Here is the entire article:
The Second Cold War and Corporate Security
Read in particular the section on the implications for business.
Along the same lines, John Mauldin, in his weekly newsletter this week, also has a fascinating article. For example, did you know that that largest KGB office in the world is in Mexico, just as it was during the Cold War? Guess who it is spying on! And did you know that the only country on the planet that recently recognized the breakaway regions of Georgia as part of Russia was one of the United States' neighbors? (Hint: It wasn't Cuba or Venezuela.)
