In this scenario, what should be done? This is a theoretical question, not about anyone specific. A person - call him "Double Agent X" - works in the CIA for over a decade, learning the names of American foreign agents (spies), American intelligence systems, and a host of other top secret information. It is then learned that person is a double agent, and actually a spy for Russia. He is arrested and convicted. However, Russia is holding one of our spies they caught and we want that person back badly. So we make a deal - their double agent Double Agent X for our spy. Our spy is returned and we release Double Agent X. However, Double Agent X does not move to Russia, but rather decides to live in Cleveland - still possessing all the top secret information, names and methods our CIA uses that he can still provide to Russia. What should the USA/CIA do about double Russian Double Agent X in Cleveland? The outrage of the west over Sergei Skripal is that Russia poisoned him. Sergei Viktorovich Skripal (Russian: Серге́й Ви́кторович Скрипаль, IPA: [sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪtɕ skrʲɪˈpalʲ], born 23 June 1951) is a former Russian military intelligence officer who acted as a double agent for the UK's intelligence services during the 1990s and early 2000s.[4] In December 2004, he was arrested by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and later tried, convicted of high treason, and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He settled in the UK in 2010 following the Illegals Program spy swap. In my opinion, Skripal was truly idiot if he thought Russia would not try to assassinate him - since he also has knowledge of Russian secret methods, names and other top secret information, not just American secret information and names. The outrage over his being poisoned seems absurd. OF COURSE RUSSIA would try to eliminate him. I am confident the CIA would do the same if the circumstances were the opposite. That level of betrayal of country is not a forgivable offense and the risk the person poises never vanishes.
