Friday, October 5, 2012

Blog Entry #6

           This week the F.B.I. has made accusations against Russia. They have reason to believe that Russian agents are smuggling microchips out of the United States. They have resorted to using undercover agents, and falsified documents to retrieve these microchips and other electronic devices without being detected.

If the F.B.I.’s suspicions are proven to be true in court, this will be the second time since 2010 that spycraft has failed to prevent an intrusion on American soil. The other occasion was when Russian undercover agents were found “posing as American suburbanites.”

With Russia resorting to theft in order to possess these microchips, it has given a “real blow to Russian scientific pride” by suggesting that Russia still cannot manufacture them on their own.

The chips were reportedly bought by a company called Ark Electronics Ink. The company used falsified document by stating that the chips would be used in traffic lights. Instead, the microchips ended up in Russian weapons like “MIG fighter jets and anti-ship missiles.”

My thoughts on this article are concerning the fact that the Russians have the ability to infiltrate American soil and essentially steal our technology. It’s even more frightening to think that they are using this technology to arm their fighter jets and missiles. I don’t believe that spycraft should be blamed when it fails to detect something. Yes, it’s their job to protect American soil, but with all of the responsibility rested on their shoulders I feel they’ve done very well. On the other hand, how could undercover agents get into the U.S. with their own agendas and obtain microchips without anyone knowing who they actually were? Shouldn’t background checks be done before people are allowed clearance to certain places? Is there any clearance required for these places that should be protected? If Russians can get in and steal microchips, what else is possible for them to acquire?


10/05/2012 11:21 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/world/europe/russian-agents-smuggled-us-microchips-fbi-says.html?ref=world

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