1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,860 [Music] 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:16,280 Okay, take it. I need 3 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:38,719 Welcome to the very first edition of 4 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,120 Sputnik, orbiting the world with me, 5 00:00:38,719 --> 00:00:43,399 George Galloway, and me, Gayatri, 6 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,920 otherwise known as Mrs. 7 00:00:43,399 --> 00:00:47,600 Galloway. Every week through the lens of 8 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,600 London, we'll be covering the stories 9 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,760 that made it into the news and those 10 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,000 that didn't, but should have. It'll be 11 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:56,879 news from elsewhere and from a different 12 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,879 point of view, ours, but yours, too. 13 00:00:56,879 --> 00:01:02,199 Through our social media portal, you can 14 00:00:58,879 --> 00:01:04,159 supply us with your views on Twitter at 15 00:01:02,199 --> 00:01:05,920 RT_Sputnik or from the streets of 16 00:01:04,159 --> 00:01:09,040 London, where we are out and about every 17 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:13,360 week to listen to your voice. His name 18 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:16,400 was Bond, James Bond. Licensed to kill, 19 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:19,680 regularly shaken, but never stirred. He 20 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:22,400 was on her majesty's secret service. but 21 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:24,400 is a service that's secret no more. His 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:27,119 commander, whose very existence it was 23 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,920 an offense to divulge, used to sign 24 00:01:27,119 --> 00:01:32,400 himself, see, and if I had told you his 25 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,479 real name, I would have had to kill you. 26 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:37,040 Though the service was often more Austin 27 00:01:34,479 --> 00:01:40,320 Powers than James Bond, its very shroud 28 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:43,119 of mystery lent it an aura of glamour. 29 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:46,320 Now well and truly lost after a parade 30 00:01:43,119 --> 00:01:48,560 of cockups, conspiracies, and farce. 31 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:50,560 Last week, the shroud was fully removed 32 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,880 for the first time when the heads of 33 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,200 Britain's domestic and foreign secret 34 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:58,000 intelligence services were forced to 35 00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:01,600 appear in public before the cameras in 36 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,680 front of a parade of British MPs. And 37 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:06,719 look at those faces. Austin Powers 38 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:09,759 indeed at MI5. At GCHQ, we had Seran 39 00:02:06,719 --> 00:02:13,200 Lobam. All hay, no needle. And over at 40 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:15,840 MI6, Sir John Sawyers is nothing much to 41 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:17,840 see. Well, that's really unprecedented. 42 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,840 From the shadow to the spotlight, what 43 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:23,280 led to that? Well, the the approximate 44 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:26,480 cause is Edward Snowden safely ensconced 45 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:29,200 in Russia and having spilled the beans 46 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:32,080 which are now spilling all over the 47 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:34,640 place. They're causing a crisis between 48 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:37,040 allies, the United States and Britain, 49 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:39,040 with France and Germany. And uh 50 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:41,920 Snowden's revelations, of which there 51 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:45,360 are more to come, have cast this 52 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:47,840 spotlight, on the whole spying game, and 53 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:51,280 the public and certainly the parliament 54 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:54,239 feels utterly betrayed and bypassed and 55 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:56,640 powerless to some extent to do anything 56 00:02:54,239 --> 00:02:59,920 about it. So in the good old British 57 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:01,840 way, a parade of flunkies from the 58 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:04,080 intelligence services has appeared 59 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,760 before a parade of parliamentary 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,720 flunkies. Every one of those people on 61 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:11,280 the committee are themselves handpicked, 62 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:13,120 security cleared to even be on that 63 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,800 committee. So there was no chance they 64 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,360 were going to ask them any difficult 65 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,920 questions. But the very act of being 66 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,840 dragged blinking into the light will 67 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:24,640 have been very humiliating for the 68 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:27,599 formerly secret heads of the British 69 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:30,480 secret services. Well, so unimpressive 70 00:03:27,599 --> 00:03:32,879 were the three spies that Scad Atkins 71 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,519 tweeted, "These three spy bosses look 72 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:38,239 like they work for Centria." To which 73 00:03:35,519 --> 00:03:40,560 Mega Cries responds, "Are they just 74 00:03:38,239 --> 00:03:43,680 psies? Not the real spy bosses. They're 75 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:46,640 really secret." Well, maybe not psies. 76 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:48,560 Definitely pasties. Now, later, we'll be 77 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,480 talking to legendary British spy writer 78 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,959 Philip Knightly, formerly a Britain 79 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,680 Sunday Times, a best-selling author, and 80 00:03:52,959 --> 00:03:58,159 the man who secured the interview with 81 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,000 the equally legendary Kim Philby, who 82 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:03,920 while serving at the top of British 83 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:07,840 Secret Services, was also a colonel in 84 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:10,239 the KGB. But first, we sent our own 85 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:13,270 sleuth out and about to talk to the 86 00:04:10,239 --> 00:04:29,060 public about the spying game. 87 00:04:13,270 --> 00:04:29,060 [Music] 88 00:04:31,510 --> 00:04:35,520 [Music] 89 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,639 As you know, it's been revealed that the 90 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:40,960 state is spying on its civilians by 91 00:04:38,639 --> 00:04:42,960 keeping all your searches, all your 92 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,639 emails, everything the state has all. 93 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:48,960 How do you feel about that? 94 00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:51,680 Um, I guess one shouldn't be surprised 95 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:55,919 because you hear it in you see it in 96 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:58,160 sci-fi um movies and novels and they 97 00:04:55,919 --> 00:04:59,840 usually are true. I didn't know they did 98 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:03,199 keep a record of absolutely everything. 99 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:05,120 It's all in GCHQ now. All my texts, all 100 00:05:03,199 --> 00:05:07,680 my emails, all your email searches, all 101 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,039 your email and your internet search. I 102 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,520 don't feel very good about that. No, I 103 00:05:09,039 --> 00:05:12,960 feel like my privacy is being invaded. I 104 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:15,759 feel violated, but it's something that 105 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:18,000 I'm sort of used to. Um because I'm 106 00:05:15,759 --> 00:05:19,840 Egyptian and we've been used to we've 107 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:21,840 we've had a lot of problems with the US 108 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:23,120 regarding that matter. It's not there's 109 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,400 nothing you can do. They'll they'll get 110 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,400 the information one way. It's how they 111 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,360 use it. It's the worst thing. Are you 112 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:33,520 angry about it? 113 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:35,280 Um not really angry. Just just 114 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,680 I'm not angry that they do it. I'm angry 115 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:39,520 in the in the way that they might use it 116 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,759 because but you can't be a member of 117 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:43,600 society these days and and and not get 118 00:05:41,759 --> 00:05:45,680 away with that. Otherwise, you you 119 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,880 wouldn't you wouldn't live anywhere. You 120 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,720 wouldn't have any credit cards. You 121 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,720 wouldn't be able to interact in any 122 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:56,400 way. Now, as I said, my first guest 123 00:05:53,759 --> 00:05:58,240 today knows all there is to know about 124 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,759 the spying game. He's Philip Nightly. 125 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,800 Philip, thanks very much for joining us 126 00:05:59,759 --> 00:06:06,080 on the first edition of Sputnik. You've 127 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:08,639 seen the parade of the heads of the 128 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,840 security services in front of a parade 129 00:06:08,639 --> 00:06:14,000 of tame MPs. I must say things ain't 130 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:17,000 what they used to be. How h how much 131 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:20,000 have they changed? Well, they've changed 132 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:21,560 radically. You can't move anywhere these 133 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,960 days without being 134 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:28,560 bugged. Uh everything is they they sweep 135 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:31,199 the entire electromagnetic spectrum. 136 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,759 That's their own phrase. And nothing can 137 00:06:31,199 --> 00:06:37,199 escape it. And it's very dispiriting 138 00:06:33,759 --> 00:06:39,199 that people accept it so readily. 139 00:06:37,199 --> 00:06:42,240 Indeed. Now you of course as I said 140 00:06:39,199 --> 00:06:44,960 earlier wrote Philby the master spy and 141 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:47,840 the second oldest profession. You looked 142 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:49,600 at spying in the 20th century. What are 143 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:52,919 the biggest changes between spying in 144 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:56,639 the 20th century and spying in the 21st? 145 00:06:52,919 --> 00:06:59,039 The use of computers. 146 00:06:56,639 --> 00:07:01,639 uh the National Security Agency in the 147 00:06:59,039 --> 00:07:04,680 United States measures its computers in 148 00:07:01,639 --> 00:07:07,440 acres rather than number of 149 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:10,160 machines and they sweep the entire 150 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:12,479 electromagnetic spectrum. They there's 151 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:14,319 nothing can escape them. But is it any 152 00:07:12,479 --> 00:07:17,039 more effective? I mean in the days you 153 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:20,319 were writing about spies left messages 154 00:07:17,039 --> 00:07:22,000 on paper in dead letter drops and uh 155 00:07:20,319 --> 00:07:24,319 shadowed each other, followed them 156 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:27,840 around. Were they more effective now or 157 00:07:24,319 --> 00:07:31,120 less effective? less effective because 158 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:34,479 the people would not accept back in the 159 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:37,080 the good old days of spying that anybody 160 00:07:34,479 --> 00:07:40,479 could be so interested in their private 161 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:44,680 affairs they would bug them or to 162 00:07:40,479 --> 00:07:47,840 examine them and what they were doing or 163 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:52,360 and bugging the entire electromagnetic 164 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:57,479 spectrum has reached a stage now where a 165 00:07:52,360 --> 00:08:02,479 spy is not only content with sweeping 166 00:07:57,479 --> 00:08:06,160 the ether for all the stuff that's there 167 00:08:02,479 --> 00:08:09,759 but is doing it on a professional basis. 168 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:12,479 Nobody there are no isms anymore. Uh, a 169 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:16,360 real spy these days is a young man who 170 00:08:12,479 --> 00:08:20,919 is interested only in putting together a 171 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:23,680 professional, professionally run uh, spy 172 00:08:20,919 --> 00:08:25,280 organization uh, and selling it to the 173 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:28,560 the material he's got to the highest 174 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:31,039 bidder. The people that you were writing 175 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,719 about came from a certain class in 176 00:08:31,039 --> 00:08:35,200 British society and they were very few 177 00:08:32,719 --> 00:08:37,919 in number. The security services were 178 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,919 numbered probably in their hundreds uh 179 00:08:37,919 --> 00:08:42,240 at the beginning, maybe scores at the 180 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:44,959 very beginning, but now of course these 181 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,880 intelligence services have ballooned out 182 00:08:44,959 --> 00:08:48,640 of all proportion, out of all 183 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,519 recognition. Yes, they're the greatest 184 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:53,040 20th century great growth industry. I 185 00:08:51,519 --> 00:08:54,959 mean, you're on record as saying that 186 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,680 the whole thing is a a contract 187 00:08:54,959 --> 00:09:01,519 basically. Yes. because governments 188 00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:04,800 found long while ago that it was much 189 00:09:01,519 --> 00:09:07,839 easier to control a population if that 190 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:12,200 population was imbued with a little bit 191 00:09:07,839 --> 00:09:15,760 of fear. Uh and once they realize 192 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:19,120 that every everything that they they've 193 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:22,240 aimed at since has been to enhance that 194 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:24,240 fear and make it more difficult for an 195 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:27,760 ordinary citizen to keep any secrets at 196 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:30,080 all. These chaps now at the head, 197 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:32,959 they're not exactly James Bonds, are 198 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:35,360 they? I mean, some one of our Twitter uh 199 00:09:32,959 --> 00:09:38,160 feeds uh said that they look more like 200 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:41,279 the men who run Centrica or British Gas. 201 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:43,600 Uh were they legendary figures before? 202 00:09:41,279 --> 00:09:46,720 Were they men of militarybearing, more 203 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:49,839 impressive perhaps than they look today? 204 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:51,760 I think so in some ways. I mean, I 205 00:09:49,839 --> 00:09:53,920 admire Philby, for example, because he 206 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,920 was a man who made a commitment to what 207 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,000 he believed to be an important political 208 00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:01,120 cause when he was quite young at 209 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,120 Cambridge and kept that commitment come 210 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:06,839 what 211 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:09,920 may. Today's spy is has not got the same 212 00:10:06,839 --> 00:10:11,959 commitment. Uh he'll sell the material 213 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:14,959 that he gathers to any 214 00:10:11,959 --> 00:10:16,880 buyer and he's not interested in isms, 215 00:10:14,959 --> 00:10:18,800 communism, capitalism, anything like 216 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:21,680 that. He's just interested in the 217 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:23,279 material that he can gather and sell. 218 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:26,800 One of the things that stuck out for me 219 00:10:23,279 --> 00:10:29,440 in those vox pops was how fatalistically 220 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:31,760 people seem to have accepted all of 221 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:35,279 this. Well, not really fatalistic. It's 222 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:37,360 just that um they feel powerless. Yeah. 223 00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:40,240 Under the with the state spying on them. 224 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,440 It's different from corporate companies 225 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,079 spying on them. That's what the 226 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:47,279 Washington Post revealed in from their 227 00:10:44,079 --> 00:10:48,800 research. Uh you can you can get away 228 00:10:47,279 --> 00:10:52,320 from companies spying on you. You can 229 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:54,640 boycott companies. Uh you can uh not uh 230 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,399 go to those companies. But where where 231 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:59,560 can you go away from from the state? Are 232 00:10:56,399 --> 00:11:02,320 we done for Phillip? I mean is 1984 233 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:03,839 arrived big time and big brothers with 234 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,480 us and we can't get rid of him. Yes, we 235 00:11:03,839 --> 00:11:09,600 can't get rid of him. Uh I know that's a 236 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:12,360 terribly pessimistic attitude to take 237 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:16,160 but computers are so 238 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:20,160 allreaching being operated by people who 239 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:24,320 are so ammoral that we can't get away 240 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:27,519 from them. It's here to stay. Uh and I'm 241 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:29,279 very pessimistic about the future of try 242 00:11:27,519 --> 00:11:31,440 anybody trying to keep a secret about 243 00:11:29,279 --> 00:11:33,519 anything. They're not they're not likely 244 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,279 to have been terrified by the 245 00:11:33,519 --> 00:11:37,279 parliamentary committee. They're not 246 00:11:35,279 --> 00:11:39,519 likely to have gone away with their 247 00:11:37,279 --> 00:11:42,320 knees knocking together, quailing before 248 00:11:39,519 --> 00:11:44,240 the ferocious uh interrogation. Did they 249 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,600 have more respect for parliament before? 250 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,680 Were they more afraid of Parliament 251 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:50,959 before? Or have they always been 252 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:52,320 essentially out of control? Well, I I 253 00:11:50,959 --> 00:11:54,959 would say the latter. They've always 254 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:58,560 been essentially out of control because 255 00:11:54,959 --> 00:12:00,640 it's see been easier for them to twist 256 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:02,560 parliament around their little finger. 257 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,000 They have no respect for parliament. 258 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:04,920 They only have respect for what they 259 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,240 call the 260 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:10,519 realm. Uh it's something that's the deep 261 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,880 state. Yes, the deep state. It's is 262 00:12:10,519 --> 00:12:15,360 undefinable and they refuse to define 263 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,680 it. So we're not going to tell you what 264 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:20,399 we consider the state to be the realm of 265 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:22,839 the state. Uh but our loyalty is to the 266 00:12:20,399 --> 00:12:25,519 realm and not the government of the day. 267 00:12:22,839 --> 00:12:29,200 Fascinating. Philip Nightly, author of 268 00:12:25,519 --> 00:12:31,040 Philby, KGB, Master Spy and the second 269 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:34,320 oldest profession. Thanks very much for 270 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:36,079 joining us here on Sputnik. Now after 271 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:38,720 the break, I'll be talking to another 272 00:12:36,079 --> 00:12:40,480 legendary British newsman, Robert Fox, 273 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,480 defense correspondent with London's 274 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:45,040 Evening Standard on the eve of the 275 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:47,440 centinery of the First World War. We'll 276 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:50,639 be right back. Welcome back to Sputnik. 277 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:53,440 Now, every year in Britain in November, 278 00:12:50,639 --> 00:12:55,839 there is a wave of solemn commemoration 279 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,680 of the end of the First World War. 280 00:12:55,839 --> 00:12:59,839 There's a minute silence throughout the 281 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:01,760 land. People wear poppies and 282 00:12:59,839 --> 00:13:04,079 increasingly there's a great deal of 283 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:06,800 pressure to wear them if you're anybody 284 00:13:04,079 --> 00:13:09,360 at all in public life. And everyone 285 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,519 solemnly remembers the death of millions 286 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:16,240 of people in what they call the Great 287 00:13:11,519 --> 00:13:19,519 War 1914 to 18. However, this year it 288 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:22,240 will have special importance because on 289 00:13:19,519 --> 00:13:25,200 January 1 next year, the British 290 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:28,200 government has allocated 300 million 291 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:31,760 pounds for commemorative events of the 292 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:36,079 centinery of World War I. They clearly 293 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:38,399 intend to locate that war in a spectrum 294 00:13:36,079 --> 00:13:40,880 of honorable British military 295 00:13:38,399 --> 00:13:43,600 engagements. Indeed, they will call it a 296 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:45,839 victory. It's my point of view that the 297 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:48,800 First World War was perhaps the greatest 298 00:13:45,839 --> 00:13:52,720 crime ever committed by Britain's ruling 299 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:54,959 elite on its own people. Lions were sent 300 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:57,600 to their death in their hundreds of 301 00:13:54,959 --> 00:14:01,760 thousands, sometimes scores of thousands 302 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:04,320 in a single day. Lions led by donkeys. 303 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:07,279 So, we sent Gatri out onto the streets 304 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,800 of London again. Gatri. Yes, indeed. And 305 00:14:07,279 --> 00:14:10,720 of course, I saw a lot of people wearing 306 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,360 their puppies. Uh, and so I gathered 307 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:15,279 their opinions. Let's have a look. Next 308 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,720 year is going to be the centinery of the 309 00:14:15,279 --> 00:14:18,720 First World War. So, there's going to be 310 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:21,760 a lot of celebration about that. How do 311 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,920 you feel about that? Uh, I don't think 312 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,760 it's something that should be 313 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,360 celebrated. Um, I think it's tragic war 314 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:29,040 completely. I just feel sorry for all 315 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,639 the soldiers to be honest with you. I 316 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,959 don't think it's anything to celebrate. 317 00:14:30,639 --> 00:14:34,800 Just a waste of millions of lives. Yeah, 318 00:14:32,959 --> 00:14:36,320 absolutely. Yeah. I think better to 319 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,000 celebrate the end of it rather than the 320 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,199 beginning. Yeah, I think you I think in 321 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,399 a way you have got to celebrate because 322 00:14:39,199 --> 00:14:42,000 it shows that you have got to have a 323 00:14:40,399 --> 00:14:43,360 certain amount of respect for it and I 324 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,120 think celebrating it shows that we have 325 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,720 respect for it. Well, I mean not the 326 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,279 celebration I would say. I mean it's 327 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:52,320 more just to commemorate probably a 328 00:14:49,279 --> 00:14:54,399 commemoration to uh say sorry for the 329 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:57,199 people who lost their lives over there. 330 00:14:54,399 --> 00:14:59,519 I think it's uh distasteful. Um, I think 331 00:14:57,199 --> 00:15:02,240 it should be more in line with like 332 00:14:59,519 --> 00:15:05,680 Remembrance Sunday, uh, where it's a 333 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:09,079 little bit more individual rather than a 334 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:11,839 national celebration type 335 00:15:09,079 --> 00:15:14,560 thing. Now, my next guest knows all 336 00:15:11,839 --> 00:15:17,040 there is to know about the arts of war 337 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:19,279 and indeed the history of it. He's the 338 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,839 legendary British newsman, the Evening 339 00:15:19,279 --> 00:15:24,160 Standards war correspondent, Robert Fox. 340 00:15:21,839 --> 00:15:27,120 Robert, thanks for joining me on 341 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:30,800 Sputnik. You heard uh mixed views from 342 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:33,519 the public there. Uh my thesis, I'll be 343 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:36,160 candid, is that the first world war 344 00:15:33,519 --> 00:15:38,639 represented a kind of crime, a giant war 345 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,880 crime against the people of this country 346 00:15:38,639 --> 00:15:42,480 and other countries. A quarrel between 347 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,959 cousins that could have been resolved 348 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,880 around the breakfast table at Bal Moral. 349 00:15:44,959 --> 00:15:50,560 That's very interesting thesis and I 350 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:53,920 think it counts for about 0 0.1% of the 351 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,920 whole argument. Uh, as you say, it was a 352 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,120 massive gamecher. I would agree with 353 00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:01,199 you. It was an absolutely unnecessary 354 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:03,600 war. More than a crime, it's worse. It 355 00:16:01,199 --> 00:16:06,320 was a folly. It was a terrible, terrible 356 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,880 folly that how they pushed into this. 357 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:11,399 People talked about the coming great 358 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:14,320 war. People talked about the need to 359 00:16:11,399 --> 00:16:16,160 construct a coming great peace. But 360 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,600 there's uh another side to it, George, 361 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:21,360 which I'm surprised that you didn't 362 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:23,199 raise, but which we will do is uh if you 363 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,680 if if you look at particularly somebody 364 00:16:23,199 --> 00:16:27,440 like uh the chancellor Angela Merkel, 365 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,120 Angela Merkel barely wants even to 366 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:32,399 mention the great war and I do 367 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:35,199 understand why she's using she thinks 368 00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:37,759 and it's a very good argument that the 369 00:16:35,199 --> 00:16:40,160 follyies and madness of the great war 370 00:16:37,759 --> 00:16:42,399 and the sense of unfair defeat in 371 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:45,000 Germany and not exclusively like that 372 00:16:42,399 --> 00:16:47,680 led to an even greater war in terms of 373 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,440 numerical humanity destroyed in the 374 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:53,920 second world war in other words led to 375 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:55,519 the rise of fascism and what I think 376 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,759 came out from your vox pop which is 377 00:16:55,519 --> 00:17:02,160 related to that which is so interesting 378 00:16:57,759 --> 00:17:04,400 is that only but one said let's 379 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:05,959 commemorate this for goodness sake let's 380 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:09,199 not celebrate 381 00:17:05,959 --> 00:17:12,559 this but people before the great war 382 00:17:09,199 --> 00:17:13,760 were celebrating war famously the 383 00:17:12,559 --> 00:17:17,280 futurists 384 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:20,160 famously the poet Gabriela Danunio in 385 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:23,120 Italy and would you believe it in the 386 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:26,319 non big non-fiction prize in the UK this 387 00:17:23,120 --> 00:17:29,120 very week what has won the prize a book 388 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:32,480 about Danunio which I'm absolutely 389 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:35,200 horrified by uh by by the way and there 390 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:37,840 was this militancy in the German 391 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:40,320 military machine the you know there was 392 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,919 the plan deset there was the Schlieffen 393 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:46,280 plan there was the plan that said 394 00:17:42,919 --> 00:17:49,120 by surgical use they would say to use an 395 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:52,320 anacronism of mechanized war we can 396 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:54,720 capture Paris it'll all be over and then 397 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:56,640 it's Deutseland Uberales and then we can 398 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:59,440 set the new industrial system it was 399 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:01,120 letting loose this new mechanized group 400 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,520 of horsemen of the apocalypse of 401 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:06,799 mechanized industrial war because as 402 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:08,880 Eric Hobsborn the the noted and terrific 403 00:18:06,799 --> 00:18:10,640 Marxist historian said this was the 404 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,280 beginning of the long war this was a war 405 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:15,200 that didn't really finish until the 406 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:17,200 1990s and that is why it is so terrible. 407 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:19,440 It has to be looked at but you can't 408 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,280 ignore it and you can't belittle it. It 409 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,440 is part of our collective memory. I'm as 410 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:25,919 passionate as you are about it but it's 411 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:28,799 very important to look this beast in the 412 00:18:25,919 --> 00:18:31,039 eye and look at it for what it is. The 413 00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:35,200 reason we use the word celebrate is 414 00:18:31,039 --> 00:18:39,039 there will be a definite attempt to uh 415 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:41,919 link it to World War II. A truly great 416 00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:44,559 war, but one which had to be fought and 417 00:18:41,919 --> 00:18:47,360 in which we were on the right side and 418 00:18:44,559 --> 00:18:49,360 stood for a period alone. Truly our 419 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:51,280 finest hour. But the first world war 420 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,520 wasn't like that. Isn't it the case the 421 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,360 Second World War was the good war and 422 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,520 the first world war the bad war? 423 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:59,919 Oversimplistic, George. I'm sorry. 424 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:02,559 Because did it have to be fought that 425 00:18:59,919 --> 00:19:05,799 that that that I I would argue uh the 426 00:19:02,559 --> 00:19:10,400 Second World War by the time we got to 427 00:19:05,799 --> 00:19:13,840 1940? Probably yes. But I take the 428 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:16,480 thesis of my old friend and tutor AJP 429 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:18,080 Taylor. Allan's point is this and I 430 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,880 think it applies to the First World War 431 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:23,919 in its time as well. really with the 432 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:25,679 Munich system uh in a way you could see 433 00:19:23,919 --> 00:19:29,039 when the Munich settlement the piece of 434 00:19:25,679 --> 00:19:30,880 paper appeasement over uh Czechoslovakia 435 00:19:29,039 --> 00:19:32,640 was achieved he said in a way that was 436 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:35,039 achievement of diplomacy it's rather 437 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:37,280 like Iran talks at the moment you've got 438 00:19:35,039 --> 00:19:38,799 to put in the basement the ground floor 439 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,640 and build on it and they should have 440 00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:43,280 built on it they didn't know how to do 441 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,200 it then the whole system broke down 442 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:48,400 arguably you could have avoided the 443 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:50,880 first world war and very likely had they 444 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:52,640 been clever from the very end of the 445 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,120 first world war through you could have 446 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:57,200 avoided the second the second world war. 447 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:59,280 We could hindsight's a wonderful 448 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:02,080 wonderful thing and journalists indulge 449 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:06,360 in it as much as as much as historians 450 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:10,720 but it was it was a chapter of terrible 451 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:13,200 terrible mistakes and as usual it's a 452 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,919 wonderful march of folly and and and 453 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,200 stupidity and that is what is so 454 00:20:14,919 --> 00:20:19,280 upsetting because I'm very worried about 455 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,440 the good war thesis by the way because 456 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:24,160 then you say good wars uh the 457 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:26,240 implication of the studs turk uh oral 458 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,480 histories of is fought by good guys and 459 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,640 this perhaps was uh the approach of a 460 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,840 very famous war correspondent like Ernie 461 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:36,320 Pile GI Joe but as actually Ernie Pile 462 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:38,720 who was a terrific journalist said GI 463 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,640 Joe Joe was in the mud and in the pooh 464 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,320 as much as everybody and as much from 465 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,000 their commanders I mean sort of things 466 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,960 with the second world war just thinking 467 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,280 we're going to come up to the 468 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:50,559 commemoration of the D-Day landings the 469 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:53,280 liberation of Europe they bombed 75,000 470 00:20:50,559 --> 00:20:56,400 French civilians to death in the opening 471 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,360 month and a half of the D-Day uh uh the 472 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:02,039 D-Day invasion or the D-Day li 473 00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:04,480 liberation. Yes, I'm being contrary. I'm 474 00:21:02,039 --> 00:21:07,039 being I'm being what I was brought up to 475 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:09,280 be. And I was brought up to just inquire 476 00:21:07,039 --> 00:21:11,919 about the news past, present, and future 477 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:13,520 and look at it in in the face. There's a 478 00:21:11,919 --> 00:21:15,760 lot of sentimentality that goes with 479 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:18,480 history. And this is where I agree with 480 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:20,720 you. You will get go from shock andor to 481 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,400 schllock andor. you will get very very 482 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:25,280 sentimental and you get this sort of 483 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:27,200 quai mlin celebratory mood. There's 484 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,679 nothing to celebrate about world war at 485 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:32,880 all except perhaps the liberation of 486 00:21:29,679 --> 00:21:34,400 women and appalling that women can could 487 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,840 be released into the workplace to 488 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,120 responsible activity. Then they tried to 489 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,280 put the lid on. I'm just talking about 490 00:21:37,120 --> 00:21:42,559 this country uh that it had to happen 491 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:45,039 that way. Why on earth? No, we're at the 492 00:21:42,559 --> 00:21:48,559 uh anniversary of course of the Russian 493 00:21:45,039 --> 00:21:51,440 Revolution. Lenon upon coming to power 494 00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:53,120 opened the books and the secret dealings 495 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,880 for example in the Middle East and 496 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:56,960 people which you're quite right George 497 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,240 because everybody forgets that it wasn't 498 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,919 just between Britain and France it was 499 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,480 Britain France and Russia and the 500 00:21:59,919 --> 00:22:05,200 Guardian. Indeed the Manchester Guardian 501 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:07,520 uh revealed Lenin's discoveries. Indeed. 502 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:11,360 Indeed. A fantastic interview. You 503 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:14,559 really are the Dwen of war reporters and 504 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:17,039 uh and analysts of the grizzly arts of 505 00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:21,280 war. Robert Fox of the Evening Standard 506 00:22:17,039 --> 00:22:21,280 in London. Thank you for joining us on 507 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:27,360 Sputnik. Well, at this point in the 508 00:22:24,559 --> 00:22:30,840 show, we listen to you through our 509 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:33,280 internet portal, on Twitter, 510 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:35,919 RT_Sputnik. We receive your point of 511 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,600 view and Guyatri processes it. How has 512 00:22:35,919 --> 00:22:39,360 it been this week? Well, it's been very 513 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,919 very busy. People have been supplying us 514 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:43,440 with a lot a lot of feedback uh on the 515 00:22:41,919 --> 00:22:45,679 question how they feel about the first 516 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:48,880 world war. For example, Anthony 517 00:22:45,679 --> 00:22:51,280 Rodriguez says, "My view of World War I 518 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:54,000 is that the last time the world went to 519 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:57,360 war based on monarchist ties, ancient 520 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:59,360 treaties, family and blood links." India 521 00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:01,520 adds to him saying, "If only Queen 522 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:03,200 Victoria had still been alive, she could 523 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,720 have put her grandsons across the knee 524 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,640 and spanked them." Well, that's a very 525 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,400 good point. It was two cousins. The king 526 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,480 and the Kaiser were cousins with the 527 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,320 same grandmother, the English Queen 528 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,400 Victoria. If only she could have sorted 529 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,480 it out around the dinner table. I also 530 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,320 asked the people uh how they feel about 531 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,360 spying, whether they feel threatened and 532 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:24,720 whether their internet behavior has 533 00:23:20,360 --> 00:23:27,440 changed. And um well, a bit of the same 534 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:30,080 u response from the streets of London. 535 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:32,320 Saul Hudson, for example, says, "Never 536 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:34,320 labored under the illusion that our mail 537 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,400 and phone calls were not being 538 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:38,960 monitored. All governments do it well. 539 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,679 But the gathering hay, as it was put in 540 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:44,240 the parliamentary session, if someone 541 00:23:41,679 --> 00:23:47,120 had said before the internet existed, 542 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:49,919 that every single letter you ever write 543 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:52,799 or receive will be opened by a 544 00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:54,240 government agent and copied and stored. 545 00:23:52,799 --> 00:23:56,559 There would have been a revolution on 546 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:59,840 the streets of Britain. I'm amazed that 547 00:23:56,559 --> 00:24:01,360 people have gone so calmly, quietly into 548 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,880 this good night. Well, perhaps because 549 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:04,640 at the time it was physical. Yeah, it 550 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,080 was really had to open it. opened the 551 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,840 seal and now everything's virtual. 552 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:11,120 Everything our identities are all out 553 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:12,799 there indeed. Martin adds, uh, it gives 554 00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:14,880 those in power a false sense of 555 00:24:12,799 --> 00:24:17,520 security. Too much data for them to deal 556 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,880 with. # lose it on a train anyway. Well, 557 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,400 I mean, they are. They say they're 558 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,480 gathering all the hay so that they can 559 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,320 find the needle. But so many times they 560 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,480 don't find any needle even though the 561 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:28,240 needle is out there and and and an idiot 562 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:31,679 in a hurry could have spotted it. The 563 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:34,320 Woolitch murder uh for example uh the 564 00:24:31,679 --> 00:24:38,559 person accused alleged to have committed 565 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:40,880 that awful murder was preaching every 566 00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:44,360 Friday and Saturday in the main streets 567 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:46,559 of South London this message of hate and 568 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:48,640 fanaticism. Yet he doesn't appear to 569 00:24:46,559 --> 00:24:50,640 have been under any surveillance whilst 570 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:53,760 you, me and everyone else here in this 571 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:56,240 studio is under surveillance. Our hay is 572 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:58,480 being gathered and looked at. Nabila Ali 573 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,240 however thinks that every country must 574 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:02,480 be sensitive about his security. So 575 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,720 what's wrong about that? Well, everybody 576 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:07,440 needs security. But if you sacrifice 577 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:10,640 liberty for security, you'll end up with 578 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,640 neither liberty nor security. So said 579 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,799 Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding 580 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:18,720 fathers of the good old United States of 581 00:25:15,799 --> 00:25:20,799 America. That though is all that we have 582 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,200 got time for. I hope you enjoyed the 583 00:25:20,799 --> 00:25:25,440 first edition of Sputnik and that you'll 584 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:27,600 come aboard with us next week at the 585 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:31,039 same time. So, please keep your tweets 586 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:34,480 coming at RT Sputnik. Goodbye from me, 587 00:25:31,039 --> 00:25:37,640 Gay and from me, George Galloway. It's 588 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,640 been marvelous. 589 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,029 [Music]