Quote:
Originally Posted by undercoverbrother
This is, IMO, more about letting people know that there is no escape. You defect, or squeal, you can and will be found.
Essentially he is letting everyone and anyone know that turning on Mother Russia is a death sentence.
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As I understand it:
Ostensibly, once a spy's been traded, they're retired, off the board, and out of the game, but their safety is guaranteed.
If Britain were to reciprocate, and kill the agents the US returned to Russia, the flipside of this would be that if you turn on Russia, you die, but if you get caught spying for Russia, you die.
If Britain doesn't reciprocate, then Russia will succeed in creating asymmetry, and that's very bad news for Britain.
Fortunately, Britain, and the West have a reasonably effective out, despite having to stay palatable to their citizens. They can stop swapping spies with Russia (and they must, if Russia has ceased to uphold its safety guarantees) and increase economic sanctions as the balance of the punishment.
Of course, to be successful, the USA will have to ensure that its president isn't a Russian agent first.