Decade of Dissent 720


It is ten years since I ended my FCO career by going on the Today programme and blowing the whistle on CIA/MI6 complicity in torture. It was on my 46th birthday, and I was in my second year as an Ambassador and my seventh as a top Whitehall civil servant, a member of the Senior Civil Service.

Looking back now, what is most striking are the blatant lies by the FCO that they were not obtaining intelligence from torture. As the BBC reported:

In one he claimed MI6 had used information passed on to it by the CIA but originally obtained in Uzbek torture cells – something strongly denied by the Foreign Office.

I do not think there is a single person in public life or social media nowadays who would not accept that the FCO were simply lying. Jack Straw was blatantly to lie about it to parliament. But ten years ago the public and media knew much less than they know now. Nobody outside secret circles had ever heard the words extraordinary rendition. It was a year later – May 2005 – before the New York Times revealed the CIA was sending people to Uzbekistan to be tortured, precisely as I had stated.

It sounds incredible, but in October 2004 many people believed it was Craig Murray who was a liar, not Jack Straw. Again I do not think there is a single individual today who does not understand that Jack Straw was lying through his teeth. But back in 2004 life was hard for me.

After going on the Today programme I went on the run, in fear for my life. I am not paranoid, remember David Kelly. I first stayed with my old friend Andy Myles in Edinburgh, then I think Chief Executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He was phoned the next morning by the FCO. When he denied knowledge of my whereabouts, they not only said they knew I was staying with him, they said which bedroom I was sleeping in. Ten years ago today I was hiding in Aviemore in the house of my old friend Dominic.

That was the start of a decade as a dissident where I have devoted my life to exposing, and trying to counter, the evil of the neo-conservative policy pursued by our political class at the behest of the corporations who fund them. I have suffered a huge loss in money, status and most of the other normal aspirations. But what I have gained is invaluable. I have respect and love, while Blair and Straw will forever be despised.


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720 thoughts on “Decade of Dissent

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  • Ben E. Geserit Muad'Dib Further Confounding Gender Speculators

    “Craig has a new post up” Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. (no offense to you AA)

    I’ve been recording ‘Manhattan’ and watching with great interest this newest incarnation of the infamous Billion dollar project.

    It was interesting that the malevolence of security agencies was apparent even with the noble vision of ending the war.

    The protection protocols for protecting, medically, the health and well-being of the scientists was seen through another kaleidoscope.

    They saw it as an opportunity to document test subjects with radiation exposure without medical expertise. Brilliantly engineered by Teller, the Mad Bomber.

  • Jives

    Jim Murphy has come along way from punting The Morning Star outside Glasgow Central Station 20 years ago.

    The treacherously ambitious turncoat expenses-filling cunt.

    Sorry for the vulgarity there but some real snakes deserve it.

  • Resident Dissident

    “Looking at all these disparate factions it is amazing that Ukraine has held together for so long… one could also have said the same thing about Yugoslavia.”

    Don’t you realise absolutely the same thing could be said about the Russian Federation – but then of course Saker has already made it very clear that it is ok to lie about Russia in support of the cause (link provided many times previously). Perhaps we might have a few serious thoughts about how Putin has systematically removed power and democracy from the regions of Russia (remember the vertical of power) before advocating the break up of other countries. You will of course not hear any such criticism of Putin or his KGB predecessors on Saker or from any of his supporters here – why is that?

  • Resident Dissident

    Mr Goss

    Since you are interested in discussing the subject of democracy perhaps you could give us your thoughts as to which of the following were democrats

    Marx
    Lenin
    Trotsky
    Stalin
    Kruschev
    Brezhnev
    Dubcek
    Husak
    Nagy
    Kadar
    Walesa
    Jaruzelski
    Gorbachev

  • Resident Dissident

    @Mary

    “Whenever anyone gets accused of “antisemitism”, let us drag the accusers to court… let us have them indicted for their slander”

    Mary please feel free to get my ISP from the moderators if you wish to pursue such an action.

  • Resident Dissident

    “Go easy on RD, just today the word “causation” caused him to overload, reset & come back again as a basic level troll robot ! 😀 ”

    Not only can I cope with the word “casuation”, I can also associate it with other words like “primary” and “tenuous” – you should try it sometimes.

  • Je

    Now the BBC have an article on British slang in Afghanistan

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29757988

    Amidst all the backslapping, I’ve still yet to see or hear a single mention of the hundreds of Afghan civilians killed by British forces.

    What’s the slang for bombing a wedding, executing a prisoner, or bayoneting a 10 year old boy?

  • Barry

    Whistle Blowing is possibly encouraged so as to extract those who would stand up against tyranny and corruption.Having worked on a project between the firm and the former financial regulator (FSA) my own experience is that its not worth it. People will mostly believe the government.”Why would they lie?” I think the only guarantee you have is that you will never work in the industry you blow the whistle on again.

  • Peacewisher

    @RD: Is that what the neocons think? I should imagine that the United States will break up before Russia! There may be a change of leader even a change of culture or name, or another period of relative poverty, but I’m pretty sure that part of the world is too well defined and will not be broken up.

  • Peacewisher

    @Barry: I always think of that line from Hotel California… “You can check out any time you like but you can never leave”. Best not to check in, I guess. Bit like not voting, according to the Brand principle… anyone see him on Jonathan Ross last night?

  • Peacewisher

    @Jives. He’s not alone. Don’t forget that both Straw and Clarke were Presidents of the NUS at a time when being a Communist was an essential prerequisite…

  • Mary

    Even the Americans see this as illegal and inflammatory.

    By Agence France-Presse | Washington
    Tuesday, 28 October 2014

    The United States Monday blasted Israel for pledging to build 1,000 more settler homes in Arab east Jerusalem, saying any such move would be “incompatible” with peace efforts.

    State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington was “deeply concerned” by the reports and American embassy officials were having high-level talks with Israeli leaders to seek more information.

    “We continue to make our position absolutely clear that we view settlement activity as illegitimate and unequivocally oppose unilateral steps that prejudge the future of Jerusalem,” Psaki told reporters.

    “Israel’s leaders have said they would support a pathway to a two-state solution, but moving forward with this type of action would be incompatible with the pursuit of peace,” she added.

    Jordan on Monday requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the plans to build more Jewish settlements, diplomats said.

    The request followed a letter from Palestinian representative to the United Nations Riyadh Mansour calling for a urgent meeting to “address this crisis situation in occupied east Jerusalem.”

    Jordan, a Security Council member, put forward the request late Monday and was awaiting a response from Argentina, which chairs the 15-member council, on setting a date.

    Diplomats told AFP the meeting was unlikely to be held on Tuesday or Wednesday.

    Washington repeatedly condemns moves to build Jewish settlements either in the West Bank or east Jerusalem. The city is claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as their future capital in any peace treaty.

    But the U.S. fails to back its words with any threatened consequences against Israel, and remains the country’s staunchest ally.

    “Ties between us are unshakable,” Psaki reiterated.

    “There are times when we disagree with actions of the Israeli government, including… the issue of settlements, where we have deep concerns about some of the steps the government is taking,” she said.

    “We expressed those, but it does not mean that we don’t have a strong and formidable relationship that continues.”

    Israel seized east Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.

    http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/28/U-S-blasts-Israeli-settlements-as-illegitimate-.html

  • Barry

    Yes, its long standing practice. A little criticism of Israeli policy to show the public the administration concern. When a political unit makes these comments you can be sure its OK with Israeli policy makers. Its just bluster. They do as they always do. Its long standing American & Israeli policy. They need not worry about the challenge….it will not come.

  • doug scorgie

    Resident Dissident
    27 Oct, 2014 – 9:13 pm

    “What’s racist about being anti-Zionist ResDis?”

    “Associating with world orders, the Rothschilds, Protocols of Zion and other related shit might be the clues you are looking for…”
    ____________________________________________________________

    Anti-Semitism, ResDis, is racist your above examples fall into that category.
    ___________________________________________________________

    “Perhaps Doug might wish to offer his thoughts when anti Zionism steps over the boundary into anti-Semitism and racism if he has any – or is he so daft as to believe the two are mutually exclusive?”
    ___________________________________________________________

    There is political Zionism, founded by Theodor Herzl which is based on race.

    There is religious Zionism supported by Judaic and Christian nut-cases and based on God’s chosen (race).

    Most Zionists outside Israel are Christian fundamentalist tossers who believe in sky-pixies.

    Also, ResDis, I asked you if you know anything about Zionism and your stupid reply confirms that you do not.

  • doug scorgie

    Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)
    27 Oct, 2014 – 10:15 pm

    “…rejoice that in the West the criminal law and the process of justice applies equally and impartially to all…”
    _____________________________________________________

    Not in Israel Habbabkuk (your favourite country).

  • Iain Orr

    Webmeisters: Grateful for an update on this current stuttering performance. Only 304 comments on the latest thread (Dissent) and nothing yet by 8.26am today 29 October from the usual early birds.

  • Iain Orr

    Moderators: I’m stumped. How did my comment at 8.26 am get onto this thread but no others since then? I feel like the dog in the night that barked, but into an all-enveloping foggy wall of silence. Possible explanations:

    I’m alone in another part of the Multisolipsistiverse
    Its an internet compulsory half-term
    Other postings have fallen foul of your anti-foul language rule
    Response to the 9 Oct letter: Mrs May has taken control of my PC
    Dr Brian Cox is wrong – we have been invaded by aliens

    Other ideas?

  • Richard

    You only know how much money you have lost and I suppose your aspirations have been curtailed in a professional, vocational sense; only you know that too. But I doubt that you have lost status – not any kind of status that counts, anyway. Who would want plaudits from the like of Jack Straw and the kind of people who are impressed with his ilk and their “power” anyway?

  • durak

    Straw? A Despicable excuse for a human being. As for Blair no comment is necessary.

    In the last five years or so though people are slowly waking up to the fact that politicians are routinely lying to the electorate and when caught spinning almost manically.

    One suspects this really is the beginning of the end of traditional politics.

    I was in Uzbekistan the same time as you, and in the same city and indeed in the same old bars such as Juliano’s, and that place (forget name) under the Ragu. We had fine times but underneath that menace was ever present.

    Always suspected the Intercontinental was bugged.

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