Lugovoy Charged In Litvinenko Murder. Duh.

In what must be the biggest non-surprise in cloak and dagger history, British prosecutors have charged Andrei Lugovoy with the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, the polonium-poisoned Putin critic.

Litvinenko had met Lugovoy and another Russian businessman, Dmitry Kovtun, at London's Millennium Hotel last November, a few hours before falling severely ill. It took him three weeks to die, as the polonium attacked his organs and he wasted away in pain and anger.

The Russians apparently hired O.J. Simpson as their strategy czar on this one, as they reportedly started their own investigation into who killed Litvinenko. Last we heard, they were chasing down leads ... and air-headed women ... on Florida golf courses. They tell us they're getting closer, but to what, they're not saying.

According to Reuters, the Brits immediately summoned the Rusky ambassador to demand the Putinites turn over Logovoy. The ambassador commented on the weather.

An arrest warrant is being prepared and it appears Tony Blair will leave office with some serious saber-rattling going on between the Lion and the Bear. With the outrageousness of the crime, it will be hard for Putin to ignore the international media frenzy that will follow.

Still, I don't expect to see Lugovoy whispering in his barrister's ear any time soon.