There is a major difference between Alexander Litvinenko and Sergei Skripal, which is not being reflected in the media. Litvinenko was a good man who attempted to expose abuses of power within Russia, in defence of the rights of Russians. Skripal is a traitor who sold the identities of Russian agents abroad to the UK, in exchange for hard cash. This may very well have caused the deaths of some of those Russian agents operating in conflict zones. If this is indeed a poisoning, there are a great many people who may want Mr Skripal dead – nor in this murky world should we overlook the fact that he must have known interesting things about his MI6 handlers. “Litvinenko II” is rather too pat and obvious, and could be a false flag set-up.
I certainly hope that Skripal, his companion, and anybody else affected, recover fully from whatever has attacked them. But I moved long ago past a world view where my country are the “goodies” and Russians are the “baddies”, and instead I reached an understanding that those in power oppress the people, universally. The idea that the elaborate spy games between world intelligence agencies are a battle between right and wrong, is for the story books. They are all wrong, all part of a system where power over people is controlled for the benefit of the wealthy, and battles are over hard resources, whichever “side” you are on.
Porton Down is a short bus ride from town.
And?
Where Dr Kelly worked.
‘His experience with biological weapons at Porton Down led to his selection as a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq following the end of the Gulf War. Kelly’s work as a member of the UNSCOM team led him to visit Iraq thirty-seven times, and his success in uncovering Iraq’s biological weapons programme led to Rolf Ekéus nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kelly_(weapons_expert)
PS When Craig gave evidence in April 2009 to the JCHR of this government’s complicity in torture in Uzkbekistan, Lady Prashar was a member of the said Joint Committee on Human Rights.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200809/jtselect/jtrights/152/152.pdf pp 10/11….
She ended up on the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War. YCNMIU.
Wife and son both killed in car crashes.
Woman found with him is his daughter.
Skripal’s son was killed in a car crash in Russia while “on holiday”. That’s after his dad was swapped. What part of Russia? Did he live in Russia? The Sun newspaper says his body was “repatriated” to Britain, which implies he was a British citizen, but the Sun is, as we all know, toilet paper rather than newspaper. It’s not as if MI6 always arrange British citizenship for the offspring of foreign sources they’ve given shelter to in Britain. Being the son or daughter of a British citizen doesn’t entitle you to British citizenship. Usually MI6 want the son or daughter to work for them too – they think the own the person. If they arranged citizenship for Skripal’s son, then Skripal may be much more important than has so far been revealed. Did his son have joint citizenship or what? How old was he?
Skripal’s wife was killed in a car “accident” in Britain, five years before. Was that reported? What was her name?
It’s obvious that someone like Sergei Skripal is not going to be as pure as the driven snow, motivated only by his commitment to the wellbeing of humanity and all that bollocks. HOWEVER, what’s in the media isn’t put there because it’s true or false. It’s put there because it serves somebody’s interests. And it still serves MI6 well for Skripal’s name to be dragged through the muck.
Vladimir Putin was sitting at home a few weeks ago reflecting on how bad relations between NATO countries and Russia had become in the past few years, and was thinking to himself: “What could we do to improve relations?”. And he thought of this, and he thought of that, and then suddenly it occurred to him! “Aha, I know! There’s that former Russian inteligence officer that was part of a spy swap we did eight years ago, who’s been living in Old Blighty since then. How about we try and bump him off, along with his daughter, poison them or something. Yes, that would work wonders for our relations with the West!”.
He smiled inside at the thought of how the British media – and no doubt the US and other media around the world – would cover such an event. And then suddenly a further idea popped into his head, and as it did he said to himself: “Yes, of course, it makes perfect sense. We’ll have it done on the day we have a bunch of celebrations lined up to mark 100 days to go until the World Cup football starts”, and beamed inside at how doing such a thing would help relations no end, and be a great PR job for the World Cup.
And as he drifted off to sleep later that night thinking about his ingenious idea, his last thought as he dropped off into dreamland was:
“Yes, and then we’ll all live happily ever after!”
“Being the son or daughter of a British citizen doesn’t entitle you to British citizenship.”
Yes, actually it does.
Wife died of cancer.
That’s right, in 2012, as reported in The Guardian yesterday, and on Newsnight last night, by a journalist who spoke to “family and friends”.
The Fake News story about her dying in a suspicious car-crash was concocted and contrived, and then disseminated by the right-wing press – ie the Sun and the Mail etc – for the obvious reason. The Mail reported it as something they’d been told by a neighbour of Sergei Skripal, so as to reinforce the idea in their several million readers minds that it MUST be true.
‘Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like the evil spirits at the dawn of day.’
Thomas Jefferson
Skripal’s wife died of cancer in 2012.
It seems his son died whilst on holiday in St Petersburg last year, cause seems uncertain.
I suppose as a nod to the general conspiracy mood around here that ought to be “holiday” .
Sounds like a joint suicide attempt then, depression is common in exiles and then the recent family tragedies.
As infantile as the obsession with “goodies and baddies” it relies on a major defect of human nature. An overall very evil human being may have good aspects to their character, while an outstanding good one can have quite troubling flaws. I have always been deeply impressed by the frankness Craig Murray has displayed in acknowledging his own faults.
It’s a pretty good idea to make your faults clear at the outset. It must make those who want to embarrass or blackmail a person very disappointed to find that the real dirt has already voluntarily been made public.
But as a part of the tedious Smear campaign against Mr Putin and or just more anti russian racism,….. then having a russian traitor attacked before the russian elections ….
whats not to like for intel
even if we mi6 or whoever is licenced to kill tried to kill these two or someone his info previously compromised … could it be he was no longer valuable alive, & like a rock star was more valuable dead.
If they recover that means more column inches with the words russia Putin spies and assasinations in it is still a winner to this insane game
Ian R, mate, a word to the wise: MI6’s main work is to collect intelligence from foreign sources. The higher up those sources are, the more they have to present themselves as who they really are: the British secret intelligence service. Above all an agent handler needs to win the trust of his joe. That means that before the joe gets caught and tortured or jailed, the agency has to look after them. Any fears? Tell your handler. If the joe gets jailed, then oh DEAR, Sergei, how terrible – swap him out of jail when the opportunity arises. And don’t ask him to pay for his own ticket from Vienna. That’s what happened with Skripal. They didn’t swap him out because he would be able to help them much after his release, for goodness sake! They swapped him out because both MI6 and the FSB must look good in the eyes of their potential and actual sources.
If a joe gets rubbed out on the street in Britain, or badly hurt in an attempt to rub them out, that does NOT look good for MI6, however many articles may appear in the British media saying “Putin” and “Russian spy” and “poison”. That propaganda works fine for the sheeple, you are quite right about that, but it damages MI6’s image in a market they care about much more – potential and actual foreign sources.
The BBC is in full Russophobia mode this morning. They are already talking about sanctions and interviewing the discredited Luke Harding. Any way it is a big distraction from Brexit.
Good morning Craig. Good to see you back at the admin interface.
– “The idea that the elaborate spy games between world intelligence agencies are a battle between right and wrong, is for the story books”…
…and the movies and TV series and unfortunately the “news” media. The abundance of such pulp fiction normalises the propagandistic myth, normalises the inherent violence, and distracts from the truth:
– “They are all wrong, all part of a system where power over people is controlled for the benefit of the wealthy, and battles are over hard resources, whichever “side” you are on”
Nice to see that you’ve joined us anarchists, tho’ it must have been a painful conversion.
“Skripal is a traitor who sold the identities of Russian agents abroad to the UK, in exchange for hard cash.”
Wonder if you’d call a British agent who did that a traitor?
a British “agent” is unlikely to know the identity of other british agents. Now a British case officer that would be different
I don’t think it would have to be an agent for the principle to hold true.
Would someone who published the names of those who did work, even menial work, for the coalition forces in Afghanistan knowing it endangered their lives be considered a traitor?
I would.
Anyone who betrays his own country is, by definition, a traitor.
Like Liam Fox.
Or Chelsea Manning.
Chelsea Manning didn’t betray his country. He kept to the oaths he made, when he joined the army.
“Oaths of Enlistment and Oaths of Office”
https://history.army.mil/html/faq/oaths.html
This was demonstrated during the Nurembourg trials. Members of the armed forces are sworn to protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. They are also sworn to obey all LAWFUL orders and have an affirmative duty to DISOBEY all UNLAWFUL orders.
Tony
You can do that and at the same time give aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States. The two are not mutually exclusive.
He passed confidential information onto a third party who had no right to it.
No other country in the world would’ve treated him any differently apart from those real totalitarian states who would’ve shot him without trial and probably charged his family for the ammunition.
@ Kempe March 6, 2018 at 14:42
‘He passed confidential information onto a third party who had no right to it.’
We have a right to what our governments and Militaries are doing in our name, with our taxes; they,of course, would strongly disagree. The fact that no measures whatsoever were taken against caught-in-the-act War Criminals should be what causes indignation, not that he ‘betrayed his country’s War Crimes’.
‘No other country in the world would’ve treated him any differently apart from those real totalitarian states who would’ve shot him without trial and probably charged his family for the ammunition.’
I partly agree with that, except you seem to be including the US as a ‘real totalitarian state’; how many whistleblowers to government misdeeds have been murdered in the US? Seth Rich for one, but the Clinton’s alone have left a string of getting on a hundred.
You were going well for a moment there, Paul, until you topped off your point with unprovable conspiracy theory Alex Jones type nuttery. Just stick to provable facts (and sorry, the Clintons being mass murderers of their political enemies is not a proven fact), and your case would be a lot stronger (and easier to agree with).
There will always be some information that is sensitive, that cannot be released to the general public because that would mean telling the world about it.
@ Node
….or to owe allegiance to another country, which shall be nameless.
What probably happenned is something like this.
They were found unconscious on a bench. Someone eventually called an ambulance. In most cases such people would stink of alcohol. They probably didn’t so illegal or prescription drugs were suspected, and there may well have been evidence of fentanyl. Such an event is sadly, extremely common, and would rarely make even the local press, and certainly not chemical/biological weapon decontamination teams
At some point, the medical staff discovered his name, and someone realised his spy history, and contacted the police. The police would then contact the security services, who would immediately realise the potential anti-Russian propaganda, and put the whole media show on the road, with The Hazchem Teams, Press photographer’s TV crews etc.
Other explanations may be possible, he may have simply dropped dead of natural causes, but assuming he is still alive, then it seems highly unlikely that the entire thing was set up in advance, because it would have needed his agreement and complicity, which he would almost certainly not want to give.
I was intrigued, that the story changed very rapidly during the day, and also that the details of what was happenning had already been updated on his wiki page, the moment his name was revealed in the press. I personally had never heard of him.
Other scenarios seem highly unlikely. The Russian Government would have absolutely no motivation in pulling such a stunt, particularly at this time. He had made no attempt to suppress his identity and address, which is available on 192.com, so he didn’t feel in the slightest bit threatened. If any of his ex spy colleagues wanted to kill him, they would likely have done so years ago, and made a much more professional job of it.
So, in my view its just more media bollocks and anti-Russian propaganda, as directed by our American controllers. It’s highly unlikely the truth will be published.
Tony
Your “show on the road” scenario assumes that the only important propaganda market in this is the sheeple.
“The Russian Government would have absolutely no motivation in pulling such a stunt, particularly at this time. He had made no attempt to suppress his identity and address, which is available on 192.com, so he didn’t feel in the slightest bit threatened. If any of his ex spy colleagues wanted to kill him, they would likely have done so years ago, and made a much more professional job of it.”
We don’t know what he’s been doing for the past few years. People can call me a racist if they want, but if he’s a Russian and he’s got a bit of money then he will be, shall we say, not a million miles from the Russian gangster world.
I am amazed that his address is on 192.com. His daughter is called Ana, right? I’ve got to admit that I’ve got no explanation for this. I wonder whether the address info on 192.com is genuine.
But if they’d made more of a professional job of it, this wouldn’t have gotten noticed, and the Kremlin and its useful idiots wouldn’t have been able to scream Russofobia at such a politically convenient time…
Do you think Russia’s psywar guys give a toss about their image among the British and western sheeple or about “Russophobia” in those markets
“Russophobia” is a broad term. What beliefs do you have in mind, and in what markets? I would agree that if big contracts start to get affected, then they may not want that. But then again, the psywar for WW3 has already begun. That’s a normal thing with psywar: it begins before physical conflict and continues after it. I doubt a date has been set for the start of the physical-conflict stage but it won’t be too far in the future. Therefore I doubt that many big and long-lasting Russian contracts are in the offing in Britain. However there may be some medium-sized and short ones. Everybody knows the poor old British elite is scouting around looking for foreign friends, with little success, and it wouldn’t surprise me if when the harvest can’t be brought in this year because of insufficient numbers of Polish workers given “Brexit”, Russian help is sought. That’s especially if Qatar has gone down the U-bend by then. Then factor in a Lehmans crash that’s 10 or 100 times bigger, and I can tell you that certain billionaires may be in the news “helping”, and some of them may well be from Russia. Depending on their plans, they may care what’s happening to their name in the British sheeple market right now. Perhaps Stamford Bridge could be used as a grain store? There will be some surprising stories for sure. Then again the physical conflict may have started by then.
But to take another aspect of Russophobia which may be what you had in mind: fear and talk in the said markets about how Russian psywar guys are manipulating politics and media in the west (which they are) is GOOD for the Russian psywar effort, not BAD. Why? Because it implies to western populations that western rulers are WEAK, unable to control what goes on in western countries. That is fucking awful for morale. This is all in Psychological Warfare 101.
Think of the Mongols, how they did it. They were masters at psywar. They benefited from their image among those they fought against as cruel and inhuman.
To summarise: the more bleating there is in Britain and the west about Russian manipulation of politics and media in those countries, the more the Russian psy war guys celebrate.
In psywar it’s often very difficult to know the effect of what you’ve done. It’s not like bombing a factory, when you can see the aftermath from your satellite. Often you don’t find out what effect you’ve had, or you find out much later or in unexpected ways. If the other side is complaining to its sheeple about your terrible psywar capabilities and successes all the time, then you ARE finding out, and the news is that you’re doing GREAT.
Morale in Russia, unlike in the West, is very high. I mean morale in the sense that concerns war planners.
The fact that Putin is not whingeing like a crybaby about how foreign psywar agencies are undermining the country is closely related to how his government is perceived among the Russian sheeple, aka “morale”. The west is far more likely to collapse than Russia.
Yes of course the Russians care about public opinion in this country, we certainly do given our efforts.
But if they’d made more of a professional job of it, this wouldn’t have gotten noticed, and the Kremlin and its useful idiots wouldn’t have been able to scream Russofobia at such a politically convenient time…
Are you really suggesting that Russia did this (and in a deliberately high-profile manner) so that they could deny it and accuse the West of Russiaphobia? There are so many implausibles in that scenario that I’m not going to list them. Actually, I don’t think you are that daft so please clarify.
Yes, because that’s how Putin drums up patriotism back home, which he needs in order to get the turnout for the Presidential election to a non-embarrassing level.
Oh dear…
Assassinatikns or botched assassinatiins aren’t exclusive to Russia.
Don’t get cause yes, however, the same applies to other countries assassins, or political propaganda will be made from it.
Caught not cause apologies.
You really think that was the only error?
On the button as usual Tony_Opmoc – his Twitter account was ring-fenced ex-ante – ER was cleared of personnel and.. Oh the eye witness Ms Church? now that is another story.
In fact as usual I raise my hands and look at the sky – i pity the young Cambridge grads who accept the ‘intelligent services’ solicitation…
Totally agree. Thank you for your articles which are always informed and informative.
I think it’s worth bearing in mind that Litvinenko is almost certainly also no Litvinenko. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/05/litvinenko-report-get-it-wrong-putin
@ GeorgeMarch 6, 2018 at 10:48
‘..1. PR campaign
The inquiry failed to take into account the massive misinformation campaign initiated by Berezovsky. It was Berezovsky, an arch-enemy of Putin, who put forward the narrative that the Russian president was behind the poisoning of Litvinenko and fed this to a gullible western media, with the help of the PR firm Bell Pottinger…’
Bell Pottinger, of ‘Kuwaiti Incubator Babies’ fame! And we know what happened over that lie, the first ‘Gulf War’. Lucky they weren’t as successful with the Litvinenko stuff (yet).
This is basically the internet pundit equivalent of a non-apology apology. On the one hand, it clearly says that Craig hopes “that Skripal, his companion, and anybody else affected, recover fully from whatever has attacked them”. On the other hand, there is absolutely no reason to write any of this except to make the point that it is in some sense OK for the Russian government to assassinate people abroad.
I guess what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander, given the outrage that typically follows whenever the British try to assassinate someone abroad.
And your contribution is basically the internet pundit equivalent of a non analysis analysis. Have you offered up a room in your house for any white helmets lately? I hear there will be a few more leaving Damascus soon and the US still has them all on a blacklist.
Also could you give a case in point when you state –
”given the outrage that typically follows whenever the British try to assassinate someone abroad.”
Who knew Britain assassinates people?
Really, once again with the slandering of the white helmets?
@ Martinned March 6, 2018 at 14:17
Poor dears! It’s a wonder they don’t sue. They’re not short of a bob or two thanks to US, UK, and European taxpayers.
But then again, I don’t expect they particularly fancy having to face evidence in court from the likes of Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett, to say nothing of Syrians liberated from Aleppo and elsewhere.
Those two would have more to fear from having their “evidence” subjected to proper legal scrutiny. So far they’ve been unable to counter the likes of Snopes, C4 and The Guardian!
Poor White Helmets!! Always ready to provide a helping hand. Just look how they have been slandered!!!
https://twitter.com/VanessaBeeley/status/970803008312356870
That’s a bit unfair, would you prefer if Craig said I hope they all die?
No, I’d prefer he not write this post at all.
Can you elaborate a bit as to why you feel that way?
Because it serves no purpose except to excuse the inexcusable.
Thank you Martinned for being candid, however I’d be grateful if you pointed out where Craig in his post on the matter, has tried to excuse the inexcusable.
Thanks in advance.
Like I said in my first comment: this is a non-apology apology. It insists that the author is not seeking to excuse the alleged assassination of this man, and then proceeds to do exactly that. Essentially the implication is that, as a traitor, he had it coming.
@ Martinned March 6, 2018 at 11:39
‘…I guess what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander, given the outrage that typically follows whenever the British try to assassinate someone abroad.’
That’s if the MSM plays ball. I don’t remember much outrage over the attempt to assassinate Qaddafi, except against the MI5 whistleblowers.
@ Craig
Glad you’re getting more relaxed about calling out ‘False Flags’ (I know you did it in ‘Murder in Samarkand’, but not in certain obvious other cases).
‘…The idea that the elaborate spy games between world intelligence agencies are a battle between right and wrong, is for the story books. They are all wrong, all part of a system where power over people is controlled for the benefit of the wealthy, and battles are over hard resources, whichever “side” you are on….’
I disagree with you there – I believe there are some leaders who do not behave in that fashion, and where the good of the people really is central. Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Maduro and Salvador Allende spring to mind.
And despite some assassinations of critics, I believe Vladimir Putin cares more for Mother Russia than getting rich;he doubtless agrees he is the best man to run Russia, and he is certainly making a good job of it.
Name just one Western leader who is half as intelligent or competent, or less corrupt or steered by Banksters or the like. I am not trying to say he is a saint, but he certainly is not on a ‘World Domination’ trip, all he wants is to be left in peace to trade with the world. He is forced into armed confrontations by the Neocon NWO shower of Banksters and their ‘Molls’.
Correction: ‘..doubtless agrees.. should have been ‘..doubtless believes..’
Less corrupt that Putin? Hmm…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/02/07/ahead-of-russian-elections-putin-releases-official-details-of-wealth-and-income/?utm_term=.2e9a9b228549
I would never give traffic to Jeff Bozo Martinned. What does his outlet state regarding Putin? Does Jeff still have a billion dollar contract with the United States Government?
It’s the first hit that came up on Google. You’re welcome to pick another one.
http://bfy.tw/GxGb
@ Martinned March 6, 2018 at 14:18
Hmm, first hit that came up on Google? ‘When you say Bud, Youv’e said a lot of things nobody else can say…’ (from a TV ad for Budweiser). First hit on Google – say no more!
Martinned.
I agree, Putin won’t be short of a few quid, his one horse race tenure since around 1999 will have seen to that.
However, linking to the Washington Post with the first words “Experts believe” doesn’t exactly do the CIA friendly news rag any favours in the credibility field, if it has any left that is.
It’s a bit like linking to Pravada, and seeing a USA bad story, hmmm.
Contrary to RT best-practice, the Washington Post article that I linked to follows up the “experts believe” paragraph with a paragraph setting out why that estimate might not be reliable. They present the evidence that exists in favour of either a higher or a lower number. I know that might confuse you, but that’s pretty much what good journalism looks like when you’re reporting on a question that you’ll never be able to solve conclusively.
Oh I’m not disagreeing with you that Putin has a very healthy nest egg stashed away. But linking to the anti-Russian rag the Washington Post, doesn’t in my opinion add credibility to the story.
It a bit like linking to the Daily Mail or Express newspapers, and reading how immigrants are ruining Britain.
@ RepublicofscotlandMarch 6, 2018 at 13:51
‘…It’s a bit like linking to Pravada, and seeing a USA bad story, hmmm.’
Except that these days the Pravda story is most probably true! Certainly more often than our BS propaganda MSM – that is the depths our MSM have sunk to.
@ Martinned March 6, 2018 at 11:55
‘…The Obama administration considered releasing details of Putin’s finances to embarrass him in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, officials later told The Washington Post….’
Yeh, and Putin may have considered releasing details about the gender of ‘Michelle’.
If the reports about Kirill Shamalov, that would be pretty damning, but as they come from a hostile lying Western source, ‘innocent till pproven guilty’. But it is definitely worrying. But, in the worst case scenario, better corrupt than murderous, Warmongering sociopaths like our lot.
If MI6 did it, they’d be more likely to use “natural causes” (which is as easy as anything). If they thought he was dangerous, working against them, or just a big pain in the arse, they could have killed him quietly – heart problem, brain problem, whatever, speak to the family, maybe give them some money, no problem, quacks helping out all the way through (this is bread and butter for a leading quack in any area). If they’d wanted a bit of edge they could have used a car accident – he’d had too much to drink, or he was on a prescription for something, but let’s encourage a few whispers and see where they spread.
But they would NOT do it the way it seems to have happened in Salisbury on Sunday. They would never choose to send out a big fat message to the market of their potential and actual sources around the world, saying loud and clear “Don’t work for us – we won’t protect you when the going gets rough“. NEVER.
Anybody who wants to argue such a frankly ridiculous thesis must come up with an alternative scenario to which this was preferable. They must argue that MI6 chose to suffer this huge blow because the other option was even worse.
No way was this Fentanyl. Nurses handly Fentanyl every day and they don’t wear gas masks, oxygen tanks, and chemical warfare and radiation suits. Speculation about what substance was used has presumably been D Noticed, so there won’t be any such speculation in the media for a while. But even so I doubt the Fentanyl line will hold and sooner or later the British elite are going to have to say they know what substance was used and name it.
What areas of the world had Skripal been to in the Russian military, by the way?
There is no reason to think he knew loads about his British handlers. He may not have even known their real names.
This does major damage to MI6.
As for Litvinenko being a “good man” rather than a “traitor”, I’ve got to wonder how deep your conviction really is, Craig, that “those in power oppress the people, universally.” Litvinenko was involved in games in London that concerned money, which is what power of the kind you refer to is always essentially about, no exceptions. Good man, my arse.
“But they would NOT do it the way it seems to have happened in Salisbury on Sunday”
That might depend on how they wanted the media narrative to pan out. It’s already being blamed on Putin on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, an increasingly common state of affairs.
Presumably that was the intended effect, given that in Russia there’s an “election” coming up. It would be awkward if Putin organised an “election” and nobody noticed…
There is more than one market for the media narrative. The sheeple blame it on Putin, yes. But if you’re a colonel in Islamabad, a civil servant in Ankara, or a businessman in Donetsk, and you’re thinking of selling information to MI6, or you’re already doing it, you want to know that they’ll protect you if you get into deep shit. You want to know that, even if they tricked or “coerced” you in the first place into working for them. That swapped out British asset might be you one day. You won’t blame this attack on Putin. You’ll blame it on Britain. So expect the line to be put out – not necessarily in the mainstream media – that Skripal was a dirty bastard who tried to get one over on his kind hosts.
Interesting that this incident happened only a month or so after Mike Veale stepped down as Chief of Wiltshire Constabulary after criticism of his excessive zeal in pursuing the Ted Heath case. “There’s nothing worse than a straight copper” as they say.
Yeah, no, that’s not even remotely interesting.
Perhaps not , but worth noting nonetheless. Lockerbie and the David Kelly case are instances of less than friction-free cooperation between local police forces and the cloak-and-dagger specialists.
@ Martinned March 6, 2018 at 12:12
It certainly interests me – I hadn’t known about it. I hope Mike Veal reveals information about Heath to the public, now he’s off the Force.
That is interesting KKC. Cheers
It was Seb wot dun it. Throwing Wiggie to the wolves wasn’t enough of a distraction.
Timing, as ever, is everything. How many terror attacks post election ?
Putin BAD
There’s oppressing… and then there’s assassinating. I was going to say extra-judicial assassinating – but Russia passed laws in 2006 to allow assassinations. Its not just this one and Litvinenko – the tally could be 14 just on British soil.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/heidiblake/from-russia-with-blood-14-suspected-hits-on-british-soil
However many… the lame response from British governments… they even tried to cover up the Polonium attack’s origin until it suited them to do otherwise… doesn’t help. Your post reads like a piece of apologism Craig. We don’t know the facts yet, but sometimes the big obvious explanation is the explanation. Usually even…
I’m sorry, but if you believe in Occam’s Razor, this may not be the blog for you…
4 days ago in the Fraudian. Maybe someone took initiative;
MI5 agents are allowed to carry out criminal activity in the UK, the government has acknowledged for the first time.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/02/mi5-agents-are-allowed-to-commit-in-uk-government-reveals
But ye, Russia bad………
I’m not sure why you think that’s relevant. They’re Britain’s laws, so Britain is allowed to say they don’t apply to person X or agency Y. The better analogy is MI6 blowing people up abroad in ways that may or may not be authorised under the laws of war.
Wonder what MoD Williamson would recommend be a fitting punishment for a traitor? Anyone guess?
Spies are dead and know they are dead from the moment they sign on. The rest of the time, they just figure out new ways of staying alive.
Russian spy: Boris Johnson warns Kremlin over Salisbury incident
Different to Theresa on Litvinenko when she said that relations between Russia and Britain should not be harmed.
Boris was late arriving in the HoC this am.
O’Brien on LBC had one Bill Browder on to spout a lot of anti Putin rhetoric. Earlier Browder had been giving ‘evidence’ to a HoC committee on Russia’s part in ‘fake news’. Of course. We never create ‘fake news’ in this little democracy.
Some details on Browder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Browder
and the Heritage Capital Management Fund which he co-founded with one Edmond Safra.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermitage_Capital_Management
Question on Russia ongoing in the HoC now. Johnson responding.
Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, is to ask an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on the policy of Her Majesty’s Government towards Russia.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2018/march/urgent-question-government-policy-on-russia-6-march-2018/
Good timing 😉
Browder was giving evidence to the DCMS committee earlier.
‘Fake news
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee continue their inquiry into fake news and disinformation, taking evidence from Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capitol Management, and Edward Lucas, Senior Vice President, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA.) Topics likely to be covered include their views on big data and Russia’s place in the discussions around disinformation.
Elizabeth Denham, the Information Commissioner, then appears before the Committee to discuss progress on the ICO’s current investigation into the use of data for political purposes, and the way in which personal data is collected, used and shared through social media and other methods.’
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/digital-culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/fake-news-evidence-17-193/
The first page of the Hansard report has appeared. More to follow.
Government Policy on Russia
06 March 2018
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-03-06/debates/E416F6C5-50D9-47FF-8C3E-0946CE99E6CA/GovernmentPolicyOnRussia
Question on Russia ongoing in the HoC now. Johnson responding.
Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, is to ask an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on the policy of Her Majesty’s Government towards Russia.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2018/march/urgent-question-government-policy-on-russia-6-march-2018/
Good timing 😉
Browder was giving evidence to the DCMS committee earlier.
‘Fake news
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee continue their inquiry into fake news and disinformation, taking evidence from Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capitol Management, and Edward Lucas, Senior Vice President, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA.) Topics likely to be covered include their views on big data and Russia’s place in the discussions around disinformation.
Elizabeth Denham, the Information Commissioner, then appears before the Committee to discuss progress on the ICO’s current investigation into the use of data for political purposes, and the way in which personal data is collected, used and shared through social media and other methods.’
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/digital-culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/fake-news-evidence-17-193/
Has Browder paid his back taxes to the Russians yet. Phil Giraldi and Israel Shamir have written some good articles on him.
When Peter Hitchens pointed out Lucas was in the pay of the US Military Industrial he didn’t deny it.
You only ask those two if you want certain answers.
@ Sharp Ears March 6, 2018 at 13:24
For some reason, your link doesn’t work when clicked.
However, if you just copy below into search engine, it comes up.
parliament.uk/business/news/2018/march/urgent-question-government-policy-on-russia-6-march-2018/
I should add to what I’ve already said that from a military point of view, morale in Britain is absolute crap.
That’s why the army has been helping with people caught in the snow, and in particular, at hospitals. Expect more stories like that. The authorities aren’t going to create great morale in the country, the guys at the top are fully aware of that, but they may be able to shore it up in a few places or reduce how fast it plummets, or even get some traction in some of the most moronic markets. I’m looking at you, Daily Mail readers.
I’ve read some of the stories about the “Beast from the East” – the name they’ve given to a small amount of snowfall – but I haven’t seen many actual details about what the army has actually done on the roads. Presumably they’ve turned up with snowploughs, led convoys, and perhaps handed out oatcakes? I mean what the fuck else is there? And a helicopter or two has been to a village or two. By “village”I don’t mean an “urban village” in Bradford or Leicester, by the way. I mean in deepest England, deepest Scotland, deepest Wales. Of course I welcome the fact that some people hit by the weather conditions have been helped (and like Craig I also wish Sergei and Ana Skripal a full recovery). It’s nice to see the army doing something useful for once. But now consider the public relations side of it.
@ N_ March 6, 2018 at 13:32
They don’t need an ”emergency;; for the army to do civil works in countries like Venezuela, continuously smeared by our MSM propaganda.
I just hope our Military’s moral plummets even more – I know mine would if my orders came down from a government trying to bring on hostilities with Russia.
” I reached an understanding that those in power oppress the people, universally.”
My sentiments exactly, there are no good guys, just levels of complicity.
Listening to the British media today, you’d think that the British security services were tutored by Mother Theresa, and that satan himself tutored the Russian security services.
Of course, it doesn’t do any harm to the west, to push Russia as the bad guys. There’s plenty of gullible fools, and useful idiots that by into it.
One last post from me. This is from Boris Johnson today, in response to a question from Tory MP Jack Lopresti, who asks how the government categorises cyber attacks from Russia on Britain’s critical infrastructure and whether they are “nuisances” or “acts of war”:
“I increasingly think that we have to categorise them as acts of war, and that means that we need to elaborate a new doctrine of response and a new doctrine of deterrence as well, and we certainly are. That is one of the conclusions that we took in the NSC a few months ago.”
(The NSC is the “National Security Council” – a British cabinet committee named according to United States convention, cf. the “Supreme Court”.)
Does the idiot Johnson know what a “doctrine” is? Does he know how long they take to formulate and how long a time period they govern? Does he realise how hopeless the British government is looking, given that it took the view “a few months ago” that a foreign power was carrying out acts of war against Britain, but, don’t worry, they’re aware that they need to find themselves a new “doctrine”, and they’re on the job?
As for “increasingly think”, he’s not supposed to be at a fucking debating society or at a high table somewhere. He’s supposed to be the foreign minister. He’s been asked in parliament whether Britain is at war or not.
Boris Johnson is personally probably too off his head on cocaine to understand any of what’s going on – he can talk the talk, or at least he can do the facial gestures, but he hasn’t got a clue how to walk the walk – but consider what such guff says about the government as a whole. I mean not just the bunch of backhander-taking pricks in the cabinet, but both them and the permanent government of this country.
Steering wheel? What’s a steering wheel? Chop chop. Snort.
Maybe I’m misremembering, but I seem to recall that the British Army’s most recent outings – in Basra and Helmand – ended in them having to be bailed out by the Americans against ragbags of peasant insurgents. But imperial commander Boris now thinks we’re a force than can go toe to toe with the red army. Generations of upper class inbreeding now clearly taking its toll on Britain’s ruling elite.
Cameron’s idea of deploying troops in small numbers believing that they’d die in small numbers and thus reduce the flack back home.
Of course the reverse is true.
Sergei’s daughter who was also attacked seems to be called Yulia.
Ana who shows up with Sergei at 192.com may be another daughter or perhaps his present wife.
This was when Sawers and Dagan combined to outdo Sean Connery as James Bond.
“East West, just points on a compass; each as stupid as the other.” (Dr. No. 1962)
Bert.
” A false flag set-up”
For what purpose? Draw attention away from Brexit?
Oh. Has Putin got control of HAARP now? I hadn’t noticed.
@ Kempe March 6, 2018 at 17:31
I strongly suspect that you are indeed aware that Russia has the HAARP technology.
I am not putting the bad weather at Russia’s door, but it is possible.
Defeat of our Al Qaeda proxies in Syria, very apparent propaganda regarding East Ghouta going on. The Russian World Cup, see the Sochi Olympics.
@ Trowbridge H. Ford March 6, 2018 at 14:57
Maybe they got hypothermia? Not very smart sitting out in sub-zero temperatures – maybe they were on Fentanyl, and didn’t notice!
Were they wearing swimming costumes?
Let me see if I grok this post:
Spy games aren’t battles between good and evil…but don’t forget one was good and one was evil?
LOL.
Consistent Russian apologism here.
I don’t know – I’d say the MURDERER was evil.
Murray’s analysis is at the wrong end.
The question isn’t “what is the moral worth?” of the various spies that are murdered.
It’s “what is the moral worth of the murderer?”
And – what is the PURPOSE of the murders?
What message is being sent?
If the purpose of the murders is the same, then it’s the same for practical purposes.
I love how Murray jumps first and foremost to “false flag”. LOL.
In the entire history of people labeling things as “false flags”, has anyone ever found evidence for such a thing even ONE TIME?
@ Bob Apposite March 6, 2018 at 16:47
’53 Admitted False Flag Attacks’: https://www.globalresearch.ca/53-admitted-false-flag-attacks/5432931
“In the entire history of people labeling things as “false flags”, has anyone ever found evidence for such a thing even ONE TIME?”
Bob is it any wonder no one listens to a word you say.
http://yournewswire.com/60-false-flags-admitted-by-presidents-politicians-generals-and-spies/
LOL.
Planes and consulates not blown up, attacks not conducted, aren’t much of an argument.
Are you sure that’s not a list of False Flag attacks that DIDN’T happen?
I mean here’s the deal.
Even under the most expansive definition of “false flag attack” possible, even scouring ALL of modern history, even including ones that are merely rumored, even including ones that DIDN’T happen, you still managed a paltry and unimpressive list.
@ Bob Apposite March 6, 2018 at 22:18
You asked for ‘just one’ example. I gave you 53.
‘..Planes and consulates not blown up, attacks not conducted…’, could you be specific, please?
So you found none of them convincing?
Litvinenko worked for Boris Berezovsky. He obviously got involved in nuclear smuggling, meeting up with Scaramella, and came to an apt end.
Convenient timing this. The usual suspects hyping it up.
Well of course he did, Christopher Steele was his handler.
More likely Sawers as Gordon Corera does not even mention Putin as a possible handler nor the murder itself, except in the erroneous index, in his The Art of Betrayal: The Secret History of MI6.
Some history???
Quite right LondonBob. Whatever Craig says Litvinenko was anything but a good man. He was a low-ranking member of the oligarchical mafia and almost certainly smuggling a very dangerous substance. Unfortunately we no longer have inquests to determine cause of death in certain high-profile cases. These have been replaced by inquiries presided over by an old fart with a scripted agenda.
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2016/01/22/litvinenko-inquiry-death-of-justice-in-the-united-kingdom/
Just your usual rubbish, Goss. Litvinenko worked for Soviet Military Intelligence and discovered tha Toshiba cargo container in Operartion EASTBOUND, and reported it to Moscow. He got transferred to the KGB as a reward.
When his career there soured, he immigrated to the UK to take advantage of what he knew, resorting to blackmail when he wasn’t taken seriously.
I know you never read anything but your own articles, but if you did I might recomment William Dunkeley’s “Litvinenko Murder Case Solved.”
p192 “There is no reliable evidence that Litvinenko ever did espiomage work. He was not a spy and did he never worked for the KGB.” He goes on to question why anyone would believe a story from the Berezovsky “inner circle”.
🙂
I reads all kinds of books, like three books about Rick Ames’ spying for Moscow which prevented the assassination of Olof Palme from resulting in nuclear destruction,for example, and i won’t waste my time on reading more rubbish recommended by you.
Trowbridge H. Ford
March 6, 2018 at 20:13
That’s what I like somebody with an open mind. 🙂
If ‘Sasha’ Litvinenko never worked for Russian intelligence, how could he know anything which would lead Putin to allegedly want lo kill him cruelly???
Enough said about the rubbish you recommended.
“If ‘Sasha’ Litvinenko never worked for Russian intelligence, how could he know anything which would lead Putin to allegedly want lo kill him cruelly???
Enough said about the rubbish you recommended.”
Circular reasoning?
@ John Goss March 6, 2018 at 19:03
‘…Unfortunately we no longer have inquests to determine cause of death in certain high-profile cases. These have been replaced by inquiries presided over by an old fart with a scripted agenda….’
Like ‘frinstance the assassination by poisoning of Pope John Paul I !
Hard to argue with your piece, tallies with David Habbakuk’s research on the case.
Glad I got mine out a day before, if this is his. 🙂
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2016/01/david-hakkuk-on-sir-robert-owens-inquiry.html
I leave the plagiarism and fantasy to that bozo Luke Harding.
Good article, Craig. Once again there has been another horrible attack and we all must hope that these poor victims recover. I do agree that whatever “side” you are on, the truth is that there are no “goodies” where Spy agencies are involved – only “baddies”. As you say, these Spy games aren’t really between left and right – though they do have victims and a loser, and the loser is usually our democracy. Nothing exemplifies this more that my own well documented case.
@ Roderick Russell March 6, 2018 at 17:22
As Jesus is reputed to have said: ‘Why do you call me good? Only God is good.’