[bearcat6]

I'm really kind of confused about the Russian spy story. The FBI watched this bunch for ten years which was no doubt pretty spendy, Then they bust them and deport them quicker than an illegal Mexican in exchange for four Russians. Some of which seem to want to stay in Russia. I'm very confused.

 

[Steve M1911A1]

What I get is from "reading between the lines." To wit:
We have four (I believe) native-Russian "assets" who were busted and jailed. Some of them have committed treason against their own country. They have valuable information in their memories, which we would like to have.
We have been watching 10 (I believe) Russian "assets" in this country, none of whom have actually come out of their mole holes to do anything particularly damaging to us, yet.
We rounded up these 10 Russian "assets," and we offered to trade them for our four, presumably more valuable "assets." The Russians agreed, and the trade was made.
If my analysis is correct, we seem to have come out ahead.