MI6 flaws exposed by former diplomat

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

A fascinating article, "The truth behind the MI6 facade", by our former Ambassador to Brazil is in today's Guardian. Accompanying it is an introductory piece by a Guardian writer:

"A former senior British diplomat today breaks the traditional taboo on discussing MI6 operations to launch a broadside against the intelligence agencies' failures in the wake of the Hutton inquiry.

Writing in the Guardian, Sir Peter Heap, ambassador to Brazil until 1995 and subsequently an adviser to the HSBC investment bank, quotes his own experiences with MI6 which show, he says, why politicians allowed themselves to be misled over Iraq.

"The poor quality of intelligence material ... was far too readily accepted at face value by ministers." "

continued:

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/kelly/story/0,13747,1053864,00.html

As noted, it's incredibly rare for us Brits to even get a glimpse at intelligence activities -- especially since we went through the rigamarole of "Spycatcher", "Shayler-gate" & the Richard Tomlinson witch-hunt -- so the ex-Ambassador's article has a great curiosity value if nothing else. But it's also wonderfully refreshing to read a broadside against British secrecy (& the pop-culture "James Bond" image that it cultivates) by somebody in a place to know. As Sir Heap points out in the article -- the fact that the current director of MI6 - Sir Richard Dearlove - gave testimony to the Hutton Inquiry via phone -- so that his physical identity be kept secret -- "merely enhances his mystique rather than protects national security.".

Anyway, the article is at the following link:

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/kelly/comment/0,13747,1053974,00.html

***************

Also as a historical item of contemporary relevance, I just stumbled by this Guardian story from Saturday:

"Macmillan backed Syria assassination plot
Documents show White House and No 10 conspired over oil-fuelled invasion plan "

http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,13031,1050908,00.html