13 Comments

The spy agency's magazine includes this funny cartoon - https://substack.com/profile/45061462-mike-hampton/note/c-81009355

Expand full comment

That's certainly an effective and well-designed cartoon. I find it more depressing than funny though as it nails some current US politics too painfully well.

Thanks for publishing the translation of this interview - you are correct it should have a larger audience - and the world needs more open minds.

I remember optimism after the Berlin Wall fell, which had started to fade by the time Yugoslavia started to splinter. The end to the Cold War was never properly acknowledged and ratified, leaving the "fighters" (intel community) with no clear directions. I'm sure here (US) there are IC who believe just as strongly that intelligence is life. All are forgetting that "intelligence" is a service and not a ruler.

I appreciate your point that no state is an angel. The Russians had their out-of-control oligarchies early on in the "peace" years, and hopefully learned. The US had a slower burn, with the consolidation of defense companies, a process which continued during the post 9/11 chaos. The consolidation left just a few major companies remaining, each with too much power and the yielding the opposite result of budget reduction.

Expand full comment

Depression is the new comedy.

WW2 has never ended.

There's little desire to change the system, only get more power within it e.g. more positions at the UN.

Expand full comment

Once again Michael another great piece. Just how much the americans and the west could learn.

Expand full comment

A world of open minds would help identify the criminals.

Expand full comment

But we don’t have open minds and that’s what’s most frightening.

Expand full comment

Collectively, we are a pinhole seeking glue to full us.

Expand full comment

Life itself, indeed. Interesting interview.

Expand full comment

great to learn about this from the other perspective.

Expand full comment

I still remember those days when conversations existed.

Expand full comment

yes those were the days. Now we are somewhere else in this madness.

Expand full comment

Counting on Russia, the hope of the world. Western propaganda must be constantly reversed and discredited!

Expand full comment

We must hope for, and work towards change, but no State is an angel.

Expand full comment