Britain's Former Top Spy Threatens To Expose The 'Dodgy Dossier' Used To Push Iraq War

[Cidersomerset]

The Daily Telegraph Britain Spying Iraq 

Britain's Former Top Spy Threatens To Expose The 'Dodgy Dossier' Used To Push Iraq War



Melanie Hall, The Daily Telegraph Jul. 21, 2013, 6:31 AM 116,589 36




Richard Dearlove MI6
REUTERS


The Absurdity Of The War On Terror Is Becoming Clear

A former head of MI6 has threatened to expose the secrets of the ‘dodgy dossier’ if he
disagrees with the long-awaited findings of the Chilcot Inquiry into the UK’s role in the

Iraq War. Sir Richard Dearlove, 68, has spent the last year writing a detailed account of
events leading up to the war, and had intended to only make his work available to
historians after his death.But now Sir Richard, who provided intelligence about Saddam
Hussein's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) that was apparently 'sexed up' by Tony
Blair's government, has revealed that he could go public after the Chilcot Inquiry
publishes its findings.

Sir Richard is expected to be criticised by the inquiry's chairman, Sir John Chilcot, over
the accuracy of intelligence provided by MI6 agents inside Iraq, which was used in the
so-called 'dodgy dossier'.

Now the ex-MI6 boss, who is Master at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, has
said: “What I have written (am writing) is a record of events surrounding the invasion of
Iraq from my then professional perspective.

“My intention is that this should be a resource available to scholars, but after my
decease (may be sooner depending on what Chilcot publishes).

“I have no intention, however, of violating my vows of official secrecy by publishing any
memoir.”

Sources close to Sir Richard said that he insists Chilcot should recognise the role played
by Tony Blair and the Prime Minister's chief spokesman Alastair Campbell in informing
media reports which suggested Saddam could use chemical weapons to target British
troops based in Cyprus, a claim which led to Britain entering the war in Iraq.

Sir Richard is said to remain extremely unhappy that this piece of intelligence, which his
agents stressed only referred to battlefield munitions which had a much shorter range,

led to media reports that UK bases were under threat.However, he accepts that some of
MI6's information on the WMDs was inaccurate, the Mail on Sunday reported.Mr Blair
and Mr Campbell have repeatedly denied making misleading statements about WMD.

Last week it was revealed that Sir John had written to Prime Minister David Cameron
informing him of his intention to write personally to those individuals he intends to
criticise, with Tony Blair reported to be among those on Sir John's list.

Sir Richard has taken a sabbatical from his duties at Cambridge University to research
and write his record of events, and is expected to resume his Master's role at the start
of the new academic year.

A security source told The Mail on Sunday: “This is Sir Richard's time-bomb. He wants
to set the record straight and defend the integrity of MI6. And Sir Richard has taken a
lot of personal criticism over MI6's performance and his supposedly too-cosy
relationship with Mr Blair.

“No Chief of MI6 has done anything like this before, but the events in question were
unprecedented.

“If Chilcot doesn't put the record straight, Sir Richard will strike back.”

Last night the committee's chairman, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who was appointed in 2010,
offered Sir Richard his support, saying: “I have never heard of a former MI6 chief
putting something out there in these terms but I would be interested in what Sir Richard
has to say in response to the Chilcot Inquiry which is clearly going to have some meat
in it.

“I know Sir Richard and worked with him in the Foreign Office many years ago. He is a
very able man of the highest character and a man of his own opinions. We shall have to
wait to see what he says.”

Last night, Alastair Campbell and the office for Tony Blair declined to comment on Sir
Richard's account.


Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...#ixzz2ZklO7BVw

[ThePythonicCow]

Posted by Cidersomerset (here)
A former head of MI6 has threatened to expose the secrets of the ‘dodgy dossier’ if he disagrees with the long-awaited findings of the Chilcot Inquiry into the UK’s role in the Iraq War.

Here's to your good health, Sir Richard.

[bennycog]

Why threaten to release it.. If he does not release it now with everyone knowing about it, who would ever trust or listen to him again. Also one would think that the anger amongst the people would be switched into active mode if he did not release it..

Turning it into a showdown is only going to feed the drama addicted ones.. Who don't really care about an outcome, they just feel the need to produce that energy from being hooked on the dramatization hype..

Reality TV must be getting damn good is all I have to say..

[Carmody]

why threaten?

get it done.

[bogeyman]

General Wesley Clark made it clear what the war was about "oil". And the agenda of "seven countries in five years".

[nickc2496]

wtf , just threaten..?...do it man for wtf's sake is he waiting for the Queen to come over for tea or something ... ? an article about a dude who might do awesome

[nickc2496]

it was not about oil