The Minutes of Sir Richard Dearlove https://minutesof.com/richard-dearlove/ Sir Richard Dearlove: 196 verbatim quotes from 20 appearances on intelligence, china and russia. Latest August 2026. Every quote timestamped and linked to… en Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:23:24 +0000 Dearlove claims MI6 has the broadest international remit and unmatched experience among European intelligence https://minutesof.com/q/93973684-ba18-442f-a26d-434b7e6ed921/ https://minutesof.com/q/93973684-ba18-442f-a26d-434b7e6ed921/ “The United Kingdom in MI6 has, let's say, the agency with the broadest international remit with representation in many countries and with a depth and length of experience which is unmatched by any other European service.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove notes MI6 was founded in 1909, giving it unique historical depth among European services. https://minutesof.com/q/2332de22-7128-46fc-a64d-e9035e64bf39/ https://minutesof.com/q/2332de22-7128-46fc-a64d-e9035e64bf39/ “bearing in mind MI6 is a historical creation that goes back to 1909 and there is no other European service that has a history with that depth.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove notes MI6's founding in 1909 gives it unmatched historical depth among European services. https://minutesof.com/q/b0e71a1f-17d5-462e-bfd3-b7ba3b20f057/ https://minutesof.com/q/b0e71a1f-17d5-462e-bfd3-b7ba3b20f057/ “MI6 is a historical creation that goes back to 1909 and there is no other European service that has a history with that depth.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove says his thirty-eight years at MI6 were never boring despite the discipline and secrecy. https://minutesof.com/q/92bea7df-fb57-489d-951e-4e4eb80350cf/ https://minutesof.com/q/92bea7df-fb57-489d-951e-4e4eb80350cf/ “I can honestly say I was in MI6 for thirty eight years and despite the discipline, the restraints, the secrecy, I probably never had a boring day at work.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove says his thirty-eight year MI6 career never had a boring day despite the discipline and secrecy. https://minutesof.com/q/97090f7a-9632-4832-b7aa-b120f7fc6487/ https://minutesof.com/q/97090f7a-9632-4832-b7aa-b120f7fc6487/ “I was in MI6 for thirty eight years and despite the discipline, the restraints, the secrecy, I probably never had a boring day at work.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove says there has been a shocking purge of senior CIA officers based on loyalty to MAGA republicanism. https://minutesof.com/q/3409884c-73ec-4a3b-b0a3-68ffe1958f41/ https://minutesof.com/q/3409884c-73ec-4a3b-b0a3-68ffe1958f41/ “I think rather shockingly, been a purge of senior officers on the basis of the degree of their loyalty to mega republicanism.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove says CIA deputy director Tom Sylvester was denied the London post for insufficient MAGA loyalty. https://minutesof.com/q/de5cb4a9-b608-45d4-a3d0-5e5243670dec/ https://minutesof.com/q/de5cb4a9-b608-45d4-a3d0-5e5243670dec/ “Think the previous or departing DDA, that's the head of the operational bid of the CIA, I think it was called Tom Sylvester, who should have finished his career in London has been denied the job and has retired because it wasn't clear that he was a sort of uncritical mega Republican supporter.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove reveals CIA's deputy director for operations Tom Sylvester was denied the London posting over politic https://minutesof.com/q/a82447a5-4265-41ce-ab1d-78211814af95/ https://minutesof.com/q/a82447a5-4265-41ce-ab1d-78211814af95/ “the previous or departing DDA, that's the head of the operational bid of the CIA, I think it was called Tom Sylvester, who should have finished his career in London has been denied the job and has retired because it wasn't clear that he was a sort of uncritical mega Republican supporter.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove regards the present US administration as an aberration but says cooperation remains important. https://minutesof.com/q/df27a0e8-5587-44d6-8e6e-619be6196fa4/ https://minutesof.com/q/df27a0e8-5587-44d6-8e6e-619be6196fa4/ “I think we regard as something of an aberration. But there are still areas of cooperation which are hugely important.” — Bloomberg Podcasts Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:50:30 +0000 Dearlove reveals he urged Blair to form a military council in Iraq instead of disbanding the army. https://minutesof.com/q/6be4adf8-7f31-45c8-a489-351b9c046924/ https://minutesof.com/q/6be4adf8-7f31-45c8-a489-351b9c046924/ “the huge mistake that Brammer made in Iraq on which we were not consulted, I was chief at the time, was to disband the Iraqi military.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove criticizes UK government for wrapping intelligence budget into defense budget to inflate spending fig https://minutesof.com/q/075c9b93-15e9-4a05-8402-06b8b04717fa/ https://minutesof.com/q/075c9b93-15e9-4a05-8402-06b8b04717fa/ “Actually, at the moment, and I'm pretty critical of this, the overall SIV has been wrapped up into the defense budget to make the defense budget look bigger, which is a bit of a cheat because the government are very keen to show that they're increasing defense spending.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove argues security is government's first responsibility and UK must cut welfare to reach 5% defense spen https://minutesof.com/q/c9e95423-2799-4fad-8804-7301b60897c6/ https://minutesof.com/q/c9e95423-2799-4fad-8804-7301b60897c6/ “That's too little, too late. They need to up to 5%, and all they have to do is to cut the welfare budget.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove says UK needs 5% GDP defense spending, government should cut welfare but won't due to left wing influ https://minutesof.com/q/42393971-84d9-4f55-b81b-fbffa46ceaf7/ https://minutesof.com/q/42393971-84d9-4f55-b81b-fbffa46ceaf7/ “They need to up to 5%, and all they have to do is to cut the welfare budget. But of course, this government is the prisoner of its left wing and they can't do that.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove reveals he was the only foreign intelligence officer at Israel's 2006 Hezbollah war debrief. https://minutesof.com/q/b821fead-b9a5-4f73-bbd6-bc0bfdab81ea/ https://minutesof.com/q/b821fead-b9a5-4f73-bbd6-bc0bfdab81ea/ “When I got there, I discovered it was the IDF Mossad Shin Bet wash up for the two thousand and six war against Hezbollah. I was the only foreign intelligence officer present.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove suggests Iranian army could take over from IRGC as more nationalistic than theocratic force. https://minutesof.com/q/2bfaaaa5-1bf1-4076-ba5c-e9136174edcb/ https://minutesof.com/q/2bfaaaa5-1bf1-4076-ba5c-e9136174edcb/ “It's possible you could get an army takeover in Iran. By that, I mean, I'm drawing a distinction between the army and the IRGC. The army has a more nationalistic rather than theocratic.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove suggests Iranian army could take over, would be nationalistic but more amenable to negotiation than I https://minutesof.com/q/7e2d0966-8e41-4e1b-a993-9bcc7918a49f/ https://minutesof.com/q/7e2d0966-8e41-4e1b-a993-9bcc7918a49f/ “They are the Iranian military. Okay. They would still be a very nationalistic government, but they might be more amenable to negotiation.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 I mean, the huge mistake that Bremer made in Iraq on which we were not consulted, I was chief at the time, was https://minutesof.com/q/142cb871-2d41-4e7b-8a46-36bb0bf7e174/ https://minutesof.com/q/142cb871-2d41-4e7b-8a46-36bb0bf7e174/ “I mean, the huge mistake that Bremer made in Iraq on which we were not consulted, I was chief at the time, was to disband the Iraqi military.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove reveals an American general was meeting with 400 Iraqi officers about running Iraq when disbandment o https://minutesof.com/q/4f431a7e-2c57-456f-88eb-43d5fddff0e9/ https://minutesof.com/q/4f431a7e-2c57-456f-88eb-43d5fddff0e9/ “the huge mistake that Bremer made in Iraq on which we were not consulted, I was chief at the time, was to disband the Iraqi military.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove recounts recent conversation with senior American general confirming his Iraq military council advice https://minutesof.com/q/ccde96a7-6f79-4d10-8f34-4b42d4c02d21/ https://minutesof.com/q/ccde96a7-6f79-4d10-8f34-4b42d4c02d21/ “I mean, I was urging the Blair government to form a military council. And actually talking to an American general recently who was part of that group, who was in a very senior position,” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove reveals 400 Iraqi officers lost pensions when disbanding order came mid-meeting about governance. https://minutesof.com/q/96023daf-7919-428b-9865-0f4c4997e739/ https://minutesof.com/q/96023daf-7919-428b-9865-0f4c4997e739/ “He said to me last week, couple of weeks ago, that he was actually in a hangar in Baghdad talking to 400 senior Iraqi officers about running the country when the order came through to disband the army, and they all lost their pensions at the same time.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove outlines Israel's plan to dispose of 450 kilos of highly enriched uranium and destroy Iran's missile https://minutesof.com/q/aae10c8b-897e-440e-9a98-5b9bc1671898/ https://minutesof.com/q/aae10c8b-897e-440e-9a98-5b9bc1671898/ “I think the Israeli plan is pretty clear. It it it it's to dispose of the 450 kilos of HEU, which supposedly Tiny rich uranium.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove outlines Israeli war aims: destroy 450 kilos of enriched uranium and render Iran's ballistic missile https://minutesof.com/q/5a758485-a315-4685-bbc2-3da5289e5d04/ https://minutesof.com/q/5a758485-a315-4685-bbc2-3da5289e5d04/ “Tiny rich uranium, which survived the original attack during the twelve day war. I think I think the second one is to render the ballistic missile system impractical.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove calls Israel the new Sparta for defeating Iran militarily but warns of potential political defeat. https://minutesof.com/q/0660ae6a-3f5d-48a6-801c-9fc5e6a72251/ https://minutesof.com/q/0660ae6a-3f5d-48a6-801c-9fc5e6a72251/ “I think you you should look at Israel, you know, as the new Sparta, really, This small country with a relatively small population has taken on and defeated a country of 90,000,000 people.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove warns Israel risks winning militarily against Iran but losing politically despite extraordinary achie https://minutesof.com/q/af53c877-e6f2-457c-b455-d88b5865d046/ https://minutesof.com/q/af53c877-e6f2-457c-b455-d88b5865d046/ “This small country with a relatively small population has taken on and defeated a country of 90,000,000 people. You know, it's an extraordinary military achievement. But beware, you could win militarily and lose politically.” — The Brink Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:09:37 +0000 Dearlove argues Israel has already defeated Iran militarily and Iran cannot destabilize the Middle East. https://minutesof.com/q/89feee18-60df-40f8-9f5a-6a4c6fa1fb67/ https://minutesof.com/q/89feee18-60df-40f8-9f5a-6a4c6fa1fb67/ “Israel, the new Sparta, have effectively already defeated Iran militarily, and Iran is in a very weak position.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove says Israel has effectively already defeated Iran militarily, limiting Iran's reach to destabilize th https://minutesof.com/q/c4ae4406-9de4-43af-84f6-7f61f07e0ebc/ https://minutesof.com/q/c4ae4406-9de4-43af-84f6-7f61f07e0ebc/ “So that scenario is a possibility, but Iran will not have the international reach to destabilize the whole of the Middle East.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove warns superior Western military power quickly removed regimes but resulted in chaos afterward. https://minutesof.com/q/cb3e8630-468e-4bfa-b243-d80287fcad95/ https://minutesof.com/q/cb3e8630-468e-4bfa-b243-d80287fcad95/ “In all of those cases, the superior air power and military of The United States and the West quickly removed the regimes or dictators, but then it was chaos.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove notes Iran has 93 million people and 150,000 Revolutionary Guards aside from regular army. https://minutesof.com/q/b6f2a77e-5135-4917-a9f2-ea2409d18a45/ https://minutesof.com/q/b6f2a77e-5135-4917-a9f2-ea2409d18a45/ “this is a huge country, 93,000,000 people, very entrenched elite military force, the revolutionary guards, which are a 150,000, aside from the regular army.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove characterizes Iranian regime as devoted to destroying Israel and opposing the great Satan. https://minutesof.com/q/db3f3e54-8bef-4fab-aa9a-e00c34535791/ https://minutesof.com/q/db3f3e54-8bef-4fab-aa9a-e00c34535791/ “How does the Iranian regime identify itself? It's devoted to the destruction of Israel. It is devoted to opposition to what it calls the great Satan.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove says there is a legal argument for legitimacy of the attack despite UN international law views. https://minutesof.com/q/3f664110-eb68-41f0-841a-0c00139e2a18/ https://minutesof.com/q/3f664110-eb68-41f0-841a-0c00139e2a18/ “On the other hand, you know, if you take a strict UN related view of the interpretation of international law, which is always being evolved by human rights lawyers, they all argue differently.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove dismisses strict UN interpretation of international law, noting human rights lawyers all argue differ https://minutesof.com/q/8e230caa-15ac-4c88-b4d9-51a70072cafb/ https://minutesof.com/q/8e230caa-15ac-4c88-b4d9-51a70072cafb/ “if you take a strict UN related view of the interpretation of international law, which is always being evolved by human rights lawyers, they all argue differently.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove suggests Iran may remain under Ayatollahs but become more compliant and willing to negotiate. https://minutesof.com/q/bad5d59e-3c5d-4e79-abec-69049a1fbccd/ https://minutesof.com/q/bad5d59e-3c5d-4e79-abec-69049a1fbccd/ “One is you end up with an Iranian regime, which is still run by Ayatollahs, but is prepared to be more compliant and will negotiate with Americans and with the rest of the Middle East.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove reveals the operation was planned for months and credits Admiral Brad Cooper's leadership. https://minutesof.com/q/c853f9aa-9b56-4817-aa2b-7f6a957028b6/ https://minutesof.com/q/c853f9aa-9b56-4817-aa2b-7f6a957028b6/ “This has been planned for months by Israel and The United States. And the other factor in this, which hasn't been mentioned, Americans have a very brilliant admiral commanding this operation Brad Cooper, and I think there's much more care and logic behind it perhaps than people realize.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove reveals the Iran operation was planned for months by Israel and the US, commanded by Admiral Brad Coo https://minutesof.com/q/33c890ff-f1f0-4935-9d6f-14e037e32124/ https://minutesof.com/q/33c890ff-f1f0-4935-9d6f-14e037e32124/ “This has been planned for months by Israel and The United States. And the other factor in this, which hasn't been mentioned, Americans have a very brilliant admiral commanding this operation Brad Cooper,” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove says Putin is losing allies and American deterrence has reasserted itself unexpectedly under Trump. https://minutesof.com/q/cb930dbc-0450-4953-922f-bec478e8b3ee/ https://minutesof.com/q/cb930dbc-0450-4953-922f-bec478e8b3ee/ “He's losing his friends fast. American deterrence, whether we like Trump or not, is suddenly standing up on the world stage in a rather extraordinary way, which probably none of us had imagined would happen.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove says American deterrence is standing up on the world stage in an extraordinary and unexpected way. https://minutesof.com/q/31840bde-9c34-43ba-8b53-8a6a997280ee/ https://minutesof.com/q/31840bde-9c34-43ba-8b53-8a6a997280ee/ “American deterrence, whether we like Trump or not, is suddenly standing up on the world stage in a rather extraordinary way, which probably none of us had imagined would happen.” — Times News Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:55 +0000 Dearlove says UK defense spending must reach 5% now, not 3.5% by 2035, criticizing Starmer's left wing. https://minutesof.com/q/75be8514-2439-4539-b8eb-b443254d7dc0/ https://minutesof.com/q/75be8514-2439-4539-b8eb-b443254d7dc0/ “And but but it's no good saying we should raise defense expenditure 3.5% by 2035. They've got to start now. 3.5% is not enough.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove says UK defense spending must rise to 5% immediately, not 3.5% by 2035. https://minutesof.com/q/0c2fdcac-f080-42c3-9934-bcfcdbb5e01a/ https://minutesof.com/q/0c2fdcac-f080-42c3-9934-bcfcdbb5e01a/ “And but but it's no good saying we should raise defense expenditure 3.5% by 2035. They've got to start now. 3.5% is not enough. It's 5%.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove says policing a Ukraine ceasefire line would require 200,000 to 300,000 troops. https://minutesof.com/q/75ba1d05-f4c4-464c-a24e-4d746b3b5a09/ https://minutesof.com/q/75ba1d05-f4c4-464c-a24e-4d746b3b5a09/ “And the idea that you're gonna have, you know, 30,000 it would take 200 to 300,000 troops to please the ceasefire line. Look.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove says Ukraine-Russia ceasefire line is nowhere near the DMZ precedent between North and South Korea. https://minutesof.com/q/e28bfd64-dbbc-4a27-8370-387096f572c9/ https://minutesof.com/q/e28bfd64-dbbc-4a27-8370-387096f572c9/ “Look. There are precedents for this, which is the DMZ between North And South Korea, but that's, you know, an internationally evacuated ban between the two countries, and that's not you know, it's been there for years, but we're nowhere near that situation in terms of doing a deal with Russia over Ukraine.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove predicts the beginning of the end for Iran's theocratic regime. https://minutesof.com/q/07b9440d-6684-4431-adf4-b3e2dda9895c/ https://minutesof.com/q/07b9440d-6684-4431-adf4-b3e2dda9895c/ “I think it's the beginning of the end of the theocratic regime in Iran. How quickly that regime comes down, I think it's hard to predict.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove previously predicted Iran's regime would fall in 2026 and stands by it. https://minutesof.com/q/9f595d0f-1590-42b0-9d8e-73575e798d3c/ https://minutesof.com/q/9f595d0f-1590-42b0-9d8e-73575e798d3c/ “I had to make a podcast prediction for 2026 three weeks ago, and I said fall of the Iranian regime in 2026. I think I'm going to see that” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove publicly predicts Iran's regime will fall in 2026, standing by his forecast. https://minutesof.com/q/cfaa87e4-1ef8-45f7-82c5-b774d047c41d/ https://minutesof.com/q/cfaa87e4-1ef8-45f7-82c5-b774d047c41d/ “I had to make a podcast prediction for 2026 three weeks ago, and I said fall of the Iranian regime in 2026. I think I'm going to see that or we're going to see that.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove proposes Denmark lease Greenland to the US for a hundred years. https://minutesof.com/q/a3eda763-40dd-4a46-ab94-ca5c6c571a37/ https://minutesof.com/q/a3eda763-40dd-4a46-ab94-ca5c6c571a37/ “Why the hell don't the Danes lease them, Iceland, for a sorry, Greenland for a hundred years. I mean, there used to be a big NATO” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove suggests Denmark could lease Greenland to the US for a hundred years. https://minutesof.com/q/b7b6b22f-7928-481d-9da0-f8822042bbb2/ https://minutesof.com/q/b7b6b22f-7928-481d-9da0-f8822042bbb2/ “Why the hell don't the Danes lease them, Iceland, for a sorry, Greenland for a hundred years. I mean, there used to be a big NATO American base Keflavik in Iceland.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove proposes Denmark lease Greenland to US with $100,000 payment per family for 52,000 inhabitants. https://minutesof.com/q/76b3c549-a06d-463f-9321-3af22a43371c/ https://minutesof.com/q/76b3c549-a06d-463f-9321-3af22a43371c/ “Lease them Greenland. And, look, there are only 52,000 inhabitants there. Part of the deal could be a $100,000 from The US for each Inuit family or each Greenland family.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove suggests US could pay $100,000 to each Greenland family as part of deal. https://minutesof.com/q/0b388c5f-af8d-43c9-89d5-19a49a83e504/ https://minutesof.com/q/0b388c5f-af8d-43c9-89d5-19a49a83e504/ “Part of the deal could be a $100,000 from The US for each Inuit family or each Greenland family. You know, they desperately need support.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove argues Europe has built social democracy on American defense subsidies and must now pay itself. https://minutesof.com/q/04e5408d-5d29-4c33-91c7-0827afb106ac/ https://minutesof.com/q/04e5408d-5d29-4c33-91c7-0827afb106ac/ “We've created a cozy social democratic environment on the back of American taxpayers, and we've gotta wake up and understand our vulnerabilities and pay for this ourselves.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove says UK must cut welfare spending to fund defense, requiring economic sacrifices. https://minutesof.com/q/84c08c4e-0173-4e4d-a8e9-7b04f0327545/ https://minutesof.com/q/84c08c4e-0173-4e4d-a8e9-7b04f0327545/ “And the most important way in The UK to do this is to cut the welfare budget and to spend it on defense. And we have to make sacrifices.” — TalkTV Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:15:01 +0000 Dearlove criticizes Trump's security statement for failing to explicitly name Russia as a global threat. https://minutesof.com/q/847e2352-2159-4711-bf5b-1a7e5f4478ef/ https://minutesof.com/q/847e2352-2159-4711-bf5b-1a7e5f4478ef/ “you can't write a statement about security without including clear reference to Russia as a global threat.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove estimates Russian casualties at 1.2 million with over 200,000 fatalities in Ukraine war. https://minutesof.com/q/d67bdf1f-66c5-4386-a619-9d51f15bc4bc/ https://minutesof.com/q/d67bdf1f-66c5-4386-a619-9d51f15bc4bc/ “the we reckon the Russian figures now are one point one, 1,200,000. I don't know what the fatalities are within that figure, over two hundred thousand probably, maybe even more than that.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove argues Trump and Russia both seek to replace Zelenskyy with a controllable Ukrainian leader. https://minutesof.com/q/30f67679-1944-40f5-baa1-cbfbf7ac31b6/ https://minutesof.com/q/30f67679-1944-40f5-baa1-cbfbf7ac31b6/ “And what they want well, what the Russians want is a Manchurian candidate who does not appear to be a Manchurian candidate at all, who looks like a loyal Ukrainian,” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove says Russians want a Manchurian candidate in Ukraine who appears loyal but will make concessions. https://minutesof.com/q/bf6877f8-f186-498a-b36d-641a08a9dab2/ https://minutesof.com/q/bf6877f8-f186-498a-b36d-641a08a9dab2/ “what the Russians want is a Manchurian candidate who does not appear to be a Manchurian candidate at all, who looks like a loyal Ukrainian, but after the election, will make the concessions that Zelensky may not have made or probably won't have made already.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove criticizes UK budget for failing to prioritize national security and defense spending first. https://minutesof.com/q/55daffb6-7aa2-4f87-babc-baaa69f4470a/ https://minutesof.com/q/55daffb6-7aa2-4f87-babc-baaa69f4470a/ “how could you possibly have a budget statement in parliament in the current state that we're in where the chancellor of the exchequer doesn't refer to national security and defense?” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove argues state security is government's first responsibility, more important than the NHS or individual https://minutesof.com/q/e3a12331-1d1b-497b-819e-905fa54021cd/ https://minutesof.com/q/e3a12331-1d1b-497b-819e-905fa54021cd/ “It's more important than National Health Service. I mean, you take a Ciceronean view of the state, the security of the state is the first responsibility of the government.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove argues air cover is the only practical security guarantee Ukraine would accept. https://minutesof.com/q/f37d5478-699e-4ff0-a674-a220fc6ee934/ https://minutesof.com/q/f37d5478-699e-4ff0-a674-a220fc6ee934/ “I think the only practical security guarantee personally is a guarantee of air cover because the Ukrainians will not accept, I think, boots on the ground and neither will the Russians.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove identifies proposed military size limits as a major sticking point in Ukraine peace negotiations. https://minutesof.com/q/90bb0513-3ba7-4d7a-b0e6-09eaa1685ac4/ https://minutesof.com/q/90bb0513-3ba7-4d7a-b0e6-09eaa1685ac4/ “the idea that a sovereign nation should agree because of the threat from another nation that its army shouldn't be bigger than a certain size is also of profound difficulty for Ukraine.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove links Trump's eight-day intelligence cutoff to Russian gains at Kharkiv Salient. https://minutesof.com/q/6a2c1921-3cee-46fa-81a7-228a5cbceda8/ https://minutesof.com/q/6a2c1921-3cee-46fa-81a7-228a5cbceda8/ “Trump did cut it off briefly at one point for eight days, and that is when the Kharkiv Salient Yeah. Was basically regained by the Russians.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove advocates two-year national service option for NHS or military to build social cohesion. https://minutesof.com/q/470adc64-7de9-452b-aa46-77737e9abe2d/ https://minutesof.com/q/470adc64-7de9-452b-aa46-77737e9abe2d/ “I think it would create greater social cohesion. I think it would create a better sense of national identity.” — One Decision Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:11 +0000 Dearlove states China poses a serious threat to UK national security and acknowledges mutual espionage between https://minutesof.com/q/d6dc8e0c-287f-4ff0-9d2e-eaee89bc0e23/ https://minutesof.com/q/d6dc8e0c-287f-4ff0-9d2e-eaee89bc0e23/ “Look, we all know there is a serious threat to The UK's national security from China.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove says the government's handling of the China spy case looks like appeasement despite official denials. https://minutesof.com/q/250ff024-42c8-4e6c-ac56-0e5943ca1fd7/ https://minutesof.com/q/250ff024-42c8-4e6c-ac56-0e5943ca1fd7/ “And it it, you know, it looks awfully like appeasement, yet we're being told it isn't.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove says the proposed Chinese embassy site is sensitive due to communications cables running underneath o https://minutesof.com/q/4528429e-a386-44b6-9e4f-5c3735ac9380/ https://minutesof.com/q/4528429e-a386-44b6-9e4f-5c3735ac9380/ “And the reason it's sensitive in my understanding is because of the communications cables that run underneath it or very close to it.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove opposes the Chinese embassy in the City of London due to sensitive communications cables underneath. https://minutesof.com/q/d2b8c16f-b2d3-4be3-b5a6-bd9430863cb5/ https://minutesof.com/q/d2b8c16f-b2d3-4be3-b5a6-bd9430863cb5/ “And putting a Chinese embassy on top of that in a strategic place in the city of London seems to me an unnecessarily foolish and risky step to take and we should say no.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove cites Australia as an example of handling China firmly despite intense commercial ties. https://minutesof.com/q/8f91c414-3884-4ef7-84af-59e7beb7d0d4/ https://minutesof.com/q/8f91c414-3884-4ef7-84af-59e7beb7d0d4/ “And the Australian government have shown everybody that they can be very tough when they feel that their national security has been threatened by China, which it has on a number of occasions.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove says dropped prosecution is another nail in credibility of current UK government. https://minutesof.com/q/f8dd7f3a-4c90-4791-a1f6-d0c4d40be0e8/ https://minutesof.com/q/f8dd7f3a-4c90-4791-a1f6-d0c4d40be0e8/ “And, of course, it's another nail in the credibility of this government. Unfortunately, it puts them in a very damaging and weak position.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove says the UK is in a state of grey warfare with Russia over Ukraine. https://minutesof.com/q/f11af726-cad9-4084-9fae-235ae8a78eec/ https://minutesof.com/q/f11af726-cad9-4084-9fae-235ae8a78eec/ “I mean if you just take one player, maybe it's a more clear cut example than one we're talking about which is Russia.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove states UK is in state of grey warfare with Russia using sub-conflict means against infrastructure. https://minutesof.com/q/1638851f-bb3c-429b-a236-3483d516457f/ https://minutesof.com/q/1638851f-bb3c-429b-a236-3483d516457f/ “You know as far as the Russians are concerned because of Ukraine we're in a state of grey warfare with them and they are using all sorts of means which are beneath the level of open conflict to cause, well, mayhem in aspects of the West's daily critical infrastructure, daily life,” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove states the UK is in a state of grey warfare with Russia over Ukraine targeting critical infrastructur https://minutesof.com/q/f0945d8b-4c61-434b-b1e2-623536b6463a/ https://minutesof.com/q/f0945d8b-4c61-434b-b1e2-623536b6463a/ “You know as far as the Russians are concerned because of Ukraine we're in a state of grey warfare with them and they are using all sorts of means which are beneath the level of open conflict to cause, well, mayhem in aspects of the West's daily critical infrastructure,” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove reveals Russians attacked his personal encrypted emails despite him being retired. https://minutesof.com/q/8594df47-d2ed-4fe9-9246-9a6bb5d84ce6/ https://minutesof.com/q/8594df47-d2ed-4fe9-9246-9a6bb5d84ce6/ “I mean, I have my own personal cipher emails attacked by the Russians. Okay. It happened quite a long time ago.” — Sky News Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:33:46 +0000 Dearlove says no Western company has had bigger positive impact on national security than Palantir. https://minutesof.com/q/a337cb6b-70cb-4da7-9cd5-9337c4661e8e/ https://minutesof.com/q/a337cb6b-70cb-4da7-9cd5-9337c4661e8e/ “I don't think there's a company that I can think of in the West that's had a bigger and more positive impact on national security, because, you know, what you've done is to sort of pull together the diversity and complexity of a modern democratic security structure” — One Decision Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:00:46 +0000 Dearlove says no Western company has had bigger positive impact on national security than Palantir. https://minutesof.com/q/3284e833-130c-462b-b132-f961469b939f/ https://minutesof.com/q/3284e833-130c-462b-b132-f961469b939f/ “I don't think there's a company that I can think of in the West that's had a bigger and more positive impact on national security, because, you know, what you've done” — One Decision Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:00:46 +0000 Dearlove argues Palantir uniquely adapted modern democratic security structures to the world of data. https://minutesof.com/q/6a55342f-75b1-4e62-b5fe-f93c299c6225/ https://minutesof.com/q/6a55342f-75b1-4e62-b5fe-f93c299c6225/ “pull together the diversity and complexity of a modern democratic security structure and make it, let's say, fully adapt it to the world of data in a way that no one else has seemed to have had the conceptual approach.” — One Decision Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:00:46 +0000 Dearlove argues Palantir uniquely adapted democratic security structures to the world of data through conceptu https://minutesof.com/q/9ad7d6a9-ed9b-44d0-adff-f46e57821794/ https://minutesof.com/q/9ad7d6a9-ed9b-44d0-adff-f46e57821794/ “make it, let's say, fully adapt it to the world of data in a way that no one else has seemed to have had the conceptual approach.” — One Decision Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:00:46 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir's intellectual property must be of massive interest to Russians and Chinese, requiring https://minutesof.com/q/9b00b640-2e61-4ee0-8d34-1d18759571d1/ https://minutesof.com/q/9b00b640-2e61-4ee0-8d34-1d18759571d1/ “But for example, your intellectual property must be of massive interest to the Russians and the Chinese. So you almost need a sort of protective organization.” — One Decision Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:01:45 +0000 Dearlove states that Palantir's intellectual property must be of massive interest to Russians and Chinese. https://minutesof.com/q/74f9c3a7-796e-4881-8717-5e587680da40/ https://minutesof.com/q/74f9c3a7-796e-4881-8717-5e587680da40/ “your intellectual property must be of massive interest to the Russians and the Chinese. So you almost need a sort of protective organization.” — One Decision Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:01:45 +0000 Dearlove compares Palantir to an intelligence organization that must spend resources protecting against penetr https://minutesof.com/q/c596e5e7-df08-4ac7-987a-95ca7aff703f/ https://minutesof.com/q/c596e5e7-df08-4ac7-987a-95ca7aff703f/ “I mean, in a way, you're rather like an intelligence and security organization where they have to spend an awful lot of time and energy and talent, as it were, protecting themselves against predation or penetration, to put it not too lightly.” — One Decision Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:01:45 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir's core capability is layering over legacy systems to make them intelligent and interope https://minutesof.com/q/6b7533d5-73ff-4b9f-9c67-4fe404bdddd3/ https://minutesof.com/q/6b7533d5-73ff-4b9f-9c67-4fe404bdddd3/ “What Palantir does brilliantly is you can stick it over the top of all these legacy systems and make them much more intelligent and get them to talk to each other.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:19:11 +0000 Dearlove describes Palantir's solution as seeming magical because he thought it was impossible. https://minutesof.com/q/bd584eea-3a02-453b-bc54-23752a6b06c4/ https://minutesof.com/q/bd584eea-3a02-453b-bc54-23752a6b06c4/ “some of us, I think this is magic because it didn't think it was possible.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:19:11 +0000 Dearlove says big bang system changes are the worst approach for intelligence communities. https://minutesof.com/q/99e48a38-31ee-4cda-8e86-cc25d5e873f0/ https://minutesof.com/q/99e48a38-31ee-4cda-8e86-cc25d5e873f0/ “And, of course, the worst thing that you want to do is to have a big bang change in the intelligence community and introduce a new system.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:19:11 +0000 Dearlove warns that big bang system changes are the worst approach for intelligence agencies. https://minutesof.com/q/768f762f-1121-48ca-b120-8e17306a472a/ https://minutesof.com/q/768f762f-1121-48ca-b120-8e17306a472a/ “of course, the worst thing that you want to do is to have a big bang change in the intelligence community and introduce a new system.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:19:11 +0000 Dearlove says big-bang system changes are the worst approach for the intelligence community. https://minutesof.com/q/eb4f5254-18d6-4785-aea8-2d22d008ddc3/ https://minutesof.com/q/eb4f5254-18d6-4785-aea8-2d22d008ddc3/ “the worst thing that you want to do is to have a big bang change in the intelligence community and introduce a new system.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:19:11 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir solved the problem of making legacy intelligence systems communicate. https://minutesof.com/q/5a535088-1ab3-466b-a883-11ed9ca80c41/ https://minutesof.com/q/5a535088-1ab3-466b-a883-11ed9ca80c41/ “I mean, I was well aware. I can't remember the exact date, but, I mean, I had retired by then that Peter Thiel and Palantir had the probable solution to this problem.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove explains Palantir's core achievement is making disparate legacy intelligence systems communicate thro https://minutesof.com/q/21308406-2dac-4a4f-a048-63e5f5d8d246/ https://minutesof.com/q/21308406-2dac-4a4f-a048-63e5f5d8d246/ “What Palantir does brilliantly is you can stick it over the top of all these legacy systems and make them much more intelligent and get them to talk to each other.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove asserts no Western company has had bigger positive impact on national security than Palantir. https://minutesof.com/q/efbefd2a-5fe3-466d-85be-9f85ddce7148/ https://minutesof.com/q/efbefd2a-5fe3-466d-85be-9f85ddce7148/ “I don't think there's a company that I can think of in the West that's had a bigger and more positive impact on national security because, you know, what you've done is pull together the diversity and complexity of a modern democratic security structure” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir transformed operations at GCHQ and intelligence services. https://minutesof.com/q/631a68cb-0272-4ab1-b026-313e9e3952fb/ https://minutesof.com/q/631a68cb-0272-4ab1-b026-313e9e3952fb/ “So you really changed the life of organizations like GCHQ, collectors, but I mean, also the operational intelligence and security services.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir's sinister reputation is completely misplaced due to public misunderstanding. https://minutesof.com/q/826a9a45-0bc3-4429-8908-baf48bc3b966/ https://minutesof.com/q/826a9a45-0bc3-4429-8908-baf48bc3b966/ “the reputation you've earned, the sinister reputation is completely misplaced because people don't really understand what the achievements of Palantir are.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove argues AI diagnosis combined with Palantir could make NHS a powerhouse of medical knowledge. https://minutesof.com/q/3eef95fa-429e-443d-8120-df5ebce68c74/ https://minutesof.com/q/3eef95fa-429e-443d-8120-df5ebce68c74/ “AI has already proved it can do it a hell of a lot better than the human being in in many, many cases, not every case.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove says Palantir's intellectual property must be massive interest to Russia and China. https://minutesof.com/q/bae9b6b6-c52a-47b6-8524-7a5de0bbd701/ https://minutesof.com/q/bae9b6b6-c52a-47b6-8524-7a5de0bbd701/ “your intellectual property must be a massive interest to the Russians and the Chinese. So you almost need, you know, a sort of protective organization.” — One Decision Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:54:40 +0000 Dearlove notes Blaise is unusually young for the MI6 chief role, suggesting exceptional ability. https://minutesof.com/q/5bbede59-e4fe-45d8-a318-75fdeefe6323/ https://minutesof.com/q/5bbede59-e4fe-45d8-a318-75fdeefe6323/ “What's striking about her is that she's really quite young for the appointment, and I hope that's an indicator of the level of her ability as the strongest candidate.” — One Decision Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:00:33 +0000 Dearlove says Blaise's Cambridge rowing blue demonstrates exceptional determination needed for the role. https://minutesof.com/q/44125cda-ba92-428c-807a-46d9a19db067/ https://minutesof.com/q/44125cda-ba92-428c-807a-46d9a19db067/ “She's also a rowing blue from Cambridge. And as someone who's interested in that sport, I'm delighted to see that because it indicates someone with really huge determination.” — One Decision Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:00:33 +0000 Dearlove assesses Blaise as forceful and tough with the makings of an effective intelligence chief. https://minutesof.com/q/49d14dab-4196-4af8-91e4-17b405929430/ https://minutesof.com/q/49d14dab-4196-4af8-91e4-17b405929430/ “I gather she's really quite a forceful and tough personality, and I think she has the makings of a head of service and will do credit to the fact that she's the first woman to lead British intelligence.” — One Decision Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:00:33 +0000 Dearlove flew into Libya in an unmarked plane as MI6 chief to negotiate Gaddafi's nuclear disarmament. https://minutesof.com/q/a3399199-824a-42d2-b912-54b24371370f/ https://minutesof.com/q/a3399199-824a-42d2-b912-54b24371370f/ “when I was head of service, I flew into Libya in an unmarked plane to meet Gaddafi, to negotiate Libya's getting rid of their weapons of mass destruction.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove flew into Libya in an unmarked plane to negotiate Gaddafi's abandonment of nuclear weapons programme. https://minutesof.com/q/b10e51e6-73c1-451e-9d0b-9294fd7537da/ https://minutesof.com/q/b10e51e6-73c1-451e-9d0b-9294fd7537da/ “I flew into Libya in an unmarked plane to meet Gaddafi, to negotiate Libya's getting rid of their weapons of mass destruction.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove states AQ Khan's laboratories sold Libya all the equipment needed to refine uranium and weaponize it. https://minutesof.com/q/7f0dc3bc-dcc7-4a73-af5a-3574e0f0f66e/ https://minutesof.com/q/7f0dc3bc-dcc7-4a73-af5a-3574e0f0f66e/ “The kit having been sold to them by the father of the Pakistani nuclear program AQ Khan, so AQ Khan's KRL laboratories had sold all the kit for the Libyans to start refining uranium and creating HEU and then weaponizing.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove states China builds more naval tonnage annually than the entire Royal Navy in fifteen to eighteen mon https://minutesof.com/q/7138f3e1-c3e3-41e8-9b94-d84809e48ebe/ https://minutesof.com/q/7138f3e1-c3e3-41e8-9b94-d84809e48ebe/ “Chinese navy is building more tonnage in a year to eighteen months each year than composes the whole of the Royal Navy. That's the speed of its expansion.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove states China's navy builds more tonnage annually than the entire Royal Navy in twelve to eighteen mon https://minutesof.com/q/885a9c29-11f0-4906-aca5-75307b26c4f5/ https://minutesof.com/q/885a9c29-11f0-4906-aca5-75307b26c4f5/ “Chinese navy is building more tonnage in a year to eighteen months each year than composes the whole of the Royal Navy.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove reveals intelligence community objected to BT's original China deal but was overruled by policymakers https://minutesof.com/q/355a4269-d1c0-4f9b-b5de-9670ab6d1b3d/ https://minutesof.com/q/355a4269-d1c0-4f9b-b5de-9670ab6d1b3d/ “Now at the time that that deal was signed there were strong objections from people like me in the intelligence community. We were totally overruled.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove argues any Chinese corporation is ultimately controlled by the Communist Party and must obey in crisi https://minutesof.com/q/321d744a-ee78-4f0e-a5dc-d76292b806f4/ https://minutesof.com/q/321d744a-ee78-4f0e-a5dc-d76292b806f4/ “The fact is you cannot get around the security problem that any Chinese corporation is ultimately under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. If in a crisis they are told to jump.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove asserts any Chinese corporation is ultimately under Chinese Communist Party control. https://minutesof.com/q/d3f9715b-a051-4921-8362-544f145e2791/ https://minutesof.com/q/d3f9715b-a051-4921-8362-544f145e2791/ “The fact is you cannot get around the security problem that any Chinese corporation is ultimately under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove warns Chinese cars have cellular modules that could be reprogrammed remotely to immobilize vehicles i https://minutesof.com/q/141646c2-4f26-4d71-a23e-f74e51dcf6ff/ https://minutesof.com/q/141646c2-4f26-4d71-a23e-f74e51dcf6ff/ “Because in every Chinese car there is a cellular module which is connected to the internet of things and that car in a crisis can be reprogrammed by the manufacturer in China.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove warns Chinese cars can be remotely immobilized from Beijing, potentially paralyzing UK cities in cris https://minutesof.com/q/f2b500b4-54be-4a9f-b21c-1d1c3d82bbbe/ https://minutesof.com/q/f2b500b4-54be-4a9f-b21c-1d1c3d82bbbe/ “that car in a crisis can be reprogrammed by the manufacturer in China. And you can find your Chinese car, 40 of them, let's say around London immobilized.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove warns China could immobilize Chinese cars remotely and bring UK cities to a halt in a crisis. https://minutesof.com/q/8cf4caa7-36a2-4bea-9052-749fc50ac179/ https://minutesof.com/q/8cf4caa7-36a2-4bea-9052-749fc50ac179/ “Chinese could bring in a crisis UK city to a grinding halt, bang, with a flick of a switch in Beijing.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove says Chinese-made renewable energy equipment with cellular modules could be remotely disabled from Ch https://minutesof.com/q/04145864-be99-4149-912d-4fb4334ea64b/ https://minutesof.com/q/04145864-be99-4149-912d-4fb4334ea64b/ “A lot of our renewable sources of energy are Chinese manufactured with cellular modules in them that can be reprogrammed from China. You could knock out the whole of a North Sea wind farm, bang.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove describes Ukraine as putty in American hands, militarily dependent on support no other nation can rep https://minutesof.com/q/a1a6a655-7a9a-46b6-baa6-cf16f92c8301/ https://minutesof.com/q/a1a6a655-7a9a-46b6-baa6-cf16f92c8301/ “Militarily at the moment they are heavily dependent on American support and it can't really be replicated. What they're being given can't be replicated by any other nation.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove says chemistry between Trump and Zelensky is terrible and US can force ceasefire by cutting intellige https://minutesof.com/q/efa1d7e7-f1d2-475d-9c02-c2ad2b7a055c/ https://minutesof.com/q/efa1d7e7-f1d2-475d-9c02-c2ad2b7a055c/ “It's quite clear you know that the chemistry between Trump and Zelensky is terrible. They don't like each other, they don't get on with each other and that's been clear for some time but if you want to force Zelensky to accept a ceasefire, if you switch off the intelligence” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove says US switched off intelligence for eight days, during which Ukraine lost the Kursk salient. https://minutesof.com/q/e557685f-1f35-4149-8784-d5fca55afd2e/ https://minutesof.com/q/e557685f-1f35-4149-8784-d5fca55afd2e/ “if you want to force Zelensky to accept a ceasefire, if you switch off the intelligence for eight days I think it was and during those eight days they pretty much lost the Kursk salient so you can see immediately the detrimental effect it had militarily on the Ukrainians.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove notes Five Eyes survived the political crisis of Suez 1956, demonstrating its institutional durabilit https://minutesof.com/q/19ce5cd5-6ed0-4a87-b4e6-03ba47bc7ede/ https://minutesof.com/q/19ce5cd5-6ed0-4a87-b4e6-03ba47bc7ede/ “Mean think of the relationship with The United States after the Suez invasion of nineteen fifty six am I right?” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove notes Five Eyes intelligence sharing continued despite appalling UK-US political relations after Suez https://minutesof.com/q/a72408bf-d5d9-47ce-b4bd-6b75ee1ecf6c/ https://minutesof.com/q/a72408bf-d5d9-47ce-b4bd-6b75ee1ecf6c/ “I think '56. The state of play politically between The UK and The US was appalling it didn't stop Five Eyes from operating.” — One Decision Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:02:35 +0000 Dearlove describes Angleton's nihilistic theory that Western services were thoroughly penetrated and couldn't https://minutesof.com/q/bfa82d52-0ab7-46e2-96f2-b7b45ceb18c3/ https://minutesof.com/q/bfa82d52-0ab7-46e2-96f2-b7b45ceb18c3/ “So there was a very, very nihilistic group which was represented in most of the major Western services, particularly in The US and to an extent in The UK.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove explains MI6 agents receive lifelong anonymity guarantees to protect families across generations. https://minutesof.com/q/243b70b1-c362-4f73-8a5d-7b25bcaf0c82/ https://minutesof.com/q/243b70b1-c362-4f73-8a5d-7b25bcaf0c82/ “those who've worked as espionage agents or agents of The United Kingdom are given a lifelong guarantee of anonymity beyond the grave, so that their families and their relatives' families are not, as it were, ever compromised by what might have been done by preceding generations.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove states MI6 was founded in 1909 partly due to scaremongering from fictional spy novels. https://minutesof.com/q/543c65f6-02a6-4cb4-9b49-e20274c7ab15/ https://minutesof.com/q/543c65f6-02a6-4cb4-9b49-e20274c7ab15/ “it's because of that scaremongering, if you look at the historical record, that MI6 was started in 1900 It had been a section of specifically naval intelligence before that, and then it was formalized into a separate organization. So its origins are tied up, strangely, with a certain amount of fiction.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove says his MI6 career was based on trust, contrasting sharply with Le Carré's fictional world of univer https://minutesof.com/q/c0013d7d-d164-424f-a9de-dbcc64625b65/ https://minutesof.com/q/c0013d7d-d164-424f-a9de-dbcc64625b65/ “Of course, if you're working in a trust environment, when a betrayal happens, it's that much more punishing, and the feelings of personal letdown can be extreme.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove calls the Mitrokhin archive the most revelatory Cold War espionage archive that exists to this day. https://minutesof.com/q/78c67385-9c8c-4319-b599-fa38ae717140/ https://minutesof.com/q/78c67385-9c8c-4319-b599-fa38ae717140/ “The Matrokian archive is probably the most revelatory archive that exists to this day of Cold War espionage, and a whole range of cases are described, successful KGB cases, described in detail.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove says Official Secrets Act penalties for disclosure are only two years and need increasing. https://minutesof.com/q/9f8c7de2-10cb-4b9c-a884-8b04c3fc7dfa/ https://minutesof.com/q/9f8c7de2-10cb-4b9c-a884-8b04c3fc7dfa/ “I think what would be the main characteristic of the changes, the penalties for disclosure will be much higher than they are hitherto at the moment.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove argues the UK is Europe's leading intelligence power and led support for Ukraine. https://minutesof.com/q/8e5c613d-3adb-4b8d-8aec-b1f7d280b17c/ https://minutesof.com/q/8e5c613d-3adb-4b8d-8aec-b1f7d280b17c/ “The UK is Europe's leading intelligence and security power, and of course we also are one of Europe's leading defense powers, and I think you just have to see what's happened in Ukraine and the way that we would have been able, as it were, to lead on the support for the Ukrainians.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove argues Brexit gave UK flexibility to lead on Ukraine support without EU defense policy constraints. https://minutesof.com/q/b9bc7189-2e89-467b-b0bd-ffc371097fb9/ https://minutesof.com/q/b9bc7189-2e89-467b-b0bd-ffc371097fb9/ “I think the fact that we're not constrained by European community membership, by common foreign and defense policy which the EU tries to promote, made a huge difference because we have much more flexibility.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove criticizes Cameron and Osborne for misunderstanding intelligence implications of Brexit debate. https://minutesof.com/q/8ce6ebc8-724b-42ce-8985-e6b7d9139315/ https://minutesof.com/q/8ce6ebc8-724b-42ce-8985-e6b7d9139315/ “If they'd come and asked me and sat down with me, I could have explained to them why they'd got this wrong.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove predicts Russians are currently offering intelligence services to the West over Ukraine disagreements https://minutesof.com/q/96119357-b5b2-4d20-a132-c5369ef9636c/ https://minutesof.com/q/96119357-b5b2-4d20-a132-c5369ef9636c/ “There will be, for sure, Russians who will be offering their services to the Americans or to other Western nations because they so fundamentally disagree with Russian policy.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove asserts Russia has never experienced a coup, only revolutions throughout its history. https://minutesof.com/q/9102e471-8ce1-4c9d-8fa0-bf7bfb5c44d8/ https://minutesof.com/q/9102e471-8ce1-4c9d-8fa0-bf7bfb5c44d8/ “Historically, there's never been a coup in Russia. There have been revolutions, there haven't been coups.” — Hoover Institution Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:21:01 +0000 Dearlove says politicians and phones have always been a problem, not unique to any single politician. https://minutesof.com/q/5253dc95-ec27-4dd9-9249-d0b2101d4d34/ https://minutesof.com/q/5253dc95-ec27-4dd9-9249-d0b2101d4d34/ “Have Politicians and always been a problem. It is not a unique problem to any single politician.” — LBC Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:53:03 +0000 Dearlove states politicians and phones have always been a problem across all politicians, not unique to any in https://minutesof.com/q/326bb71c-cd0b-4894-83d1-9a5cb21c6b0e/ https://minutesof.com/q/326bb71c-cd0b-4894-83d1-9a5cb21c6b0e/ “Politicians and always been a problem. It is not a unique problem to any single politician.” — LBC Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:53:03 +0000 Dearlove claims every politician he has known, foreign and British, has used phones unwisely. https://minutesof.com/q/5fdc2a73-f8b5-4ec7-b2c5-9dbfbfee9753/ https://minutesof.com/q/5fdc2a73-f8b5-4ec7-b2c5-9dbfbfee9753/ “Every single politician I have ever known, foreign and British, have used their phones in a way which probably is unwise.” — LBC Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:53:03 +0000 Dearlove argues unwise phone use stems from the nature of political life, not politician behavior. https://minutesof.com/q/262d6d59-f0f0-4722-9d60-0bf859c08a0a/ https://minutesof.com/q/262d6d59-f0f0-4722-9d60-0bf859c08a0a/ “That's the nature of political life, it's not to do with the behaviour of politicians.” — LBC Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:53:03 +0000 Dearlove says Russia has roughly the GDP of Italy, ranking thirteenth or fourteenth globally. https://minutesof.com/q/7937ac8a-f84d-4c0d-8540-d2df18939e2d/ https://minutesof.com/q/7937ac8a-f84d-4c0d-8540-d2df18939e2d/ “But bear in mind, and people are surprised when I say this, that Russia, in fact, now has more or less the GDP of Italy, somewhere around thirteenth or fourteenth in the world.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove says Russia's GDP roughly equals Italy's, ranking thirteenth or fourteenth globally with weak industr https://minutesof.com/q/2537d0a0-5818-4d9e-8d56-91f51dc3039a/ https://minutesof.com/q/2537d0a0-5818-4d9e-8d56-91f51dc3039a/ “Russia, in fact, now has more or less the GDP of Italy, somewhere around thirteenth or fourteenth in the world. And it has an aging population. It has a very weak industrial base.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove says Russia has roughly Italy's GDP, ranking thirteenth or fourteenth globally, with an aging populat https://minutesof.com/q/c49084a1-a02b-47ff-920d-dfaacdfd12e4/ https://minutesof.com/q/c49084a1-a02b-47ff-920d-dfaacdfd12e4/ “Russia, in fact, now has more or less the GDP of Italy, somewhere around thirteenth or fourteenth in the world. And it has an aging population.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove characterizes Russia as commodity-dependent with weak industry and demographics, calling it unquestio https://minutesof.com/q/5bf37fc1-2e01-4f45-8a16-f5c713c48ba8/ https://minutesof.com/q/5bf37fc1-2e01-4f45-8a16-f5c713c48ba8/ “It has a very weak industrial base. It's commodity dependent. It's got dreadful demographics, and it's a declining power unquestionably.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove asserts that Chinese intelligence is driving some of China's positioning in science at leading univer https://minutesof.com/q/1a9fab36-f5e2-4c92-bbb5-956c73c5aa8f/ https://minutesof.com/q/1a9fab36-f5e2-4c92-bbb5-956c73c5aa8f/ “the Chinese have positioned themselves in crucial areas of science in all of our leading universities.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove notes Ant's $34 billion flotation beat Aramco, illustrating Western-Chinese economic integration. https://minutesof.com/q/500beaf9-9ad4-49fb-8458-9947511f6200/ https://minutesof.com/q/500beaf9-9ad4-49fb-8458-9947511f6200/ “two days ago, the Ant payment system, Jack Ma's company that controls massive payment system across the whole of China had a flotation and those of you who follow these things will be aware that it actually beat Aramco in terms of the value of the flotation, $34,000,000,000 was raised” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove predicts US and China will negotiate a new global security system within five years. https://minutesof.com/q/16ac4cf0-5430-491b-889a-29f588b887d6/ https://minutesof.com/q/16ac4cf0-5430-491b-889a-29f588b887d6/ “at some point in the next two, three, four, five years, I think The United States and China will sit down to work out how a new security system will, as it were, operate across the world to replace Pax Americana.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove predicts US and China will establish a new security system within five years, replacing Pax Americana https://minutesof.com/q/311b472c-4986-41a6-9a10-95c9e52cce4f/ https://minutesof.com/q/311b472c-4986-41a6-9a10-95c9e52cce4f/ “So Pax Americana will become for those of you who are Latinists, Pax Americana et Sericana.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove argues the Palestinian issue no longer defines Middle Eastern regional politics, marking huge shift. https://minutesof.com/q/a0737d05-9d8a-40c4-a5e8-7d0ba45a994b/ https://minutesof.com/q/a0737d05-9d8a-40c4-a5e8-7d0ba45a994b/ “the basic fact is that the Palestinian issue is no longer being allowed to define much of the region's politics. And this is a huge change.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove argues most Arab state leaders lost patience with Palestinians, ending the issue's regional dominance https://minutesof.com/q/e607a5e5-aecd-4f29-a82b-c210d419c7a9/ https://minutesof.com/q/e607a5e5-aecd-4f29-a82b-c210d419c7a9/ “The truth about the Palestinian issue, in my opinion, is that most Arab leaders, or the leadership of most Arab states, lost patience with the Palestinians” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove argues most Arab state leaders lost patience with Palestinians over the past five to seven years. https://minutesof.com/q/f4b80d58-45a6-4cff-a14b-a852835c9c9f/ https://minutesof.com/q/f4b80d58-45a6-4cff-a14b-a852835c9c9f/ “The truth about the Palestinian issue, in my opinion, is that most Arab leaders, or the leadership of most Arab states, lost patience with the Palestinians quite well over the last five to seven years.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove states UK is Europe's defense and intelligence leader, deliberately keeping these outside EU control. https://minutesof.com/q/4a77944e-fc19-4c71-bf0f-20a2ab99d671/ https://minutesof.com/q/4a77944e-fc19-4c71-bf0f-20a2ab99d671/ “The UK is Europe's defense, security and intelligence leader. We have been very careful over the years not to put any of those equities in the hands of the European communion.” — Technion UK Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:45:56 +0000 Dearlove agrees with Trump's hard line on China, saying an international inquiry into the pandemic is needed. https://minutesof.com/q/b3e65450-92ce-4827-809f-987ea2ab084f/ https://minutesof.com/q/b3e65450-92ce-4827-809f-987ea2ab084f/ “But I think there's a lot about his China policy that's right, because we need an explanation from the Chinese as to what happened. We need an international inquiry.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove agrees with Trump's hard line on China and calls for international inquiry into pandemic origins. https://minutesof.com/q/e01e12ba-5eeb-4e9f-a25e-2c24b5df4ee1/ https://minutesof.com/q/e01e12ba-5eeb-4e9f-a25e-2c24b5df4ee1/ “We need an international inquiry. And yes, I do, on this issue, agree with Trump's hard line, and I think we should support it.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove criticizes George Osborne for being extremely uncritical in embracing the Chinese relationship. https://minutesof.com/q/dde69688-e1ac-4588-990a-5b558f4c875c/ https://minutesof.com/q/dde69688-e1ac-4588-990a-5b558f4c875c/ “Personally pretty fed up with George Osborne. I think he was extremely uncritical in the way that he was willing to embrace the Chinese relationship.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove predicts complete UK reassessment of China relationship after pandemic, warns against Chinese economi https://minutesof.com/q/7155b69a-00b0-43a6-8a2c-de5e1bd45721/ https://minutesof.com/q/7155b69a-00b0-43a6-8a2c-de5e1bd45721/ “I think there will be a complete reassessment of this situation for The UK and for many other countries in the aftermath of the pandemic.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove says Osborne didn't understand Communist Party leadership's disregard for law and human rights from h https://minutesof.com/q/c28c7986-436a-45c6-8ec0-34fa8abc9789/ https://minutesof.com/q/c28c7986-436a-45c6-8ec0-34fa8abc9789/ “I don't think that George Osborne really understood what the leadership of a real Communist Party is like.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove reveals British Telecom signed a deal with Huawei in 2001-2002 while he was MI6 chief, creating signi https://minutesof.com/q/69279183-a981-4420-bff4-d573837df60e/ https://minutesof.com/q/69279183-a981-4420-bff4-d573837df60e/ “The problem is that British Telecom signed a deal back in 2001, 2002 actually, whilst I was chief with Huawei.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove reveals British Telecom signed a deal with Huawei in 2001-2002 while he was MI6 chief. https://minutesof.com/q/90aeebbf-3621-404b-8082-91edbf4267b2/ https://minutesof.com/q/90aeebbf-3621-404b-8082-91edbf4267b2/ “The problem is that British Telecom signed a deal back in 2001, 2002 actually, whilst I was chief with Huawei. And we became very much involved with this company and entangled with them.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove says China embedded in UK 5G is a serious security problem given Chinese intelligence nature. https://minutesof.com/q/4ca6b80e-4d08-4f83-baaf-0dabcde2a27a/ https://minutesof.com/q/4ca6b80e-4d08-4f83-baaf-0dabcde2a27a/ “The fact is, if you understand the nature of Chinese leadership, Chinese intelligence, having China embedded in our five gs is a security problem, a serious one.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove endorses a peer-reviewed scientific paper on virus origins as a very important contribution to the de https://minutesof.com/q/a543095d-af22-4f75-a01b-45c52f501e75/ https://minutesof.com/q/a543095d-af22-4f75-a01b-45c52f501e75/ “I think that the importance of the paper is that it is written by two very knowledgeable scientists, one a world leading virologist. Well, both of them are actually. It's been peer reviewed extensively.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove says scientific paper on virus origins is important and will shift debate on pandemic evolution. https://minutesof.com/q/32f31c33-56fa-40d4-ae45-b9c9c429b9f2/ https://minutesof.com/q/32f31c33-56fa-40d4-ae45-b9c9c429b9f2/ “I'm not a scientist, I'm not really prepared to speculate very far, but I think this particular article is very important, and I think it will shift the debate.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove believes the pandemic started as an accident and China has not published true casualty figures. https://minutesof.com/q/5873b33e-6cd5-4af3-9845-7118a397e225/ https://minutesof.com/q/5873b33e-6cd5-4af3-9845-7118a397e225/ “Absolutely. China itself has suffered hugely and probably more than we realize because they will have not published the true figures. I do think that this started as an accident.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove believes the pandemic started as an accident, not a deliberate Chinese act. https://minutesof.com/q/ff260f19-c22f-4f75-b5ee-91a42b283bfe/ https://minutesof.com/q/ff260f19-c22f-4f75-b5ee-91a42b283bfe/ “I do think that this started as an accident. Okay, once it started, there are things about the Chinese behavior which are completely shocking, but there was nothing deliberate about the origins of it.” — The Telegraph Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:10:27 +0000 Dearlove says France asked UK to disregard intelligence about Iraq's uranium purchases weeks after sharing it. https://minutesof.com/q/89bcb89e-d319-49f0-a500-3cebc2a06dc7/ https://minutesof.com/q/89bcb89e-d319-49f0-a500-3cebc2a06dc7/ “Several weeks after that visit, I got a call from an extremely senior French official saying, Richard, would you please disregard what we told you?” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove links French intelligence reversal to France's opposition to UN resolution on Iraq. https://minutesof.com/q/57ba8b1c-3c1b-4df1-9691-12b2374e6c03/ https://minutesof.com/q/57ba8b1c-3c1b-4df1-9691-12b2374e6c03/ “Anyway, it subsequently became clear when the Iraqi situation evolved that the French were not keen on supporting a new UN resolution.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove indicates intelligence suggested Chirac received funding from Saddam Hussein for French presidential https://minutesof.com/q/d8253d29-7e3f-41ac-84e9-6325a9f9d51e/ https://minutesof.com/q/d8253d29-7e3f-41ac-84e9-6325a9f9d51e/ “And there were indications that Shirak had received funding from Hussein, both the nineteen ninety five presidential election and the two thousand and two presidential” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove states there were indications Chirac received funding from Hussein for two French presidential electi https://minutesof.com/q/74e328f7-84c8-4329-aa7d-509db48ab695/ https://minutesof.com/q/74e328f7-84c8-4329-aa7d-509db48ab695/ “there were indications that Shirak had received funding from Hussein, both the nineteen ninety five presidential election and the two thousand and two presidential” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove describes arriving in Washington within days of 9/11 to pledge British intelligence support to shocke https://minutesof.com/q/a7f98e5d-7b64-4c8f-99c5-53ea17db3684/ https://minutesof.com/q/a7f98e5d-7b64-4c8f-99c5-53ea17db3684/ “Intelligence community, I think meeting the President at the time, and really pledging British support to The U. S. In response to this extraordinary attack.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove reveals intelligence agencies knew from intercept chatter in June 2001 that something big was being p https://minutesof.com/q/8f4aa743-09d4-4e4d-86e3-e7dfbcd15551/ https://minutesof.com/q/8f4aa743-09d4-4e4d-86e3-e7dfbcd15551/ “And the senior cohorts of FBI and CIA had flown down to meet us, and this was in June. And we knew from the noise, not from specific humid, from the noise.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove says intelligence community knew from chatter something big was planned before 9/11 but lacked specif https://minutesof.com/q/8c05472a-b61e-4eb1-9f28-efabaa134fad/ https://minutesof.com/q/8c05472a-b61e-4eb1-9f28-efabaa134fad/ “And we knew from the noise, not from specific humid, from the noise. By noise you mean chatter on Chatter on intercept and chatter that something big was being planned.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove says intelligence knew something big was planned before 9/11 but not the specifics. https://minutesof.com/q/98de6734-5527-4288-b667-73dc9a54b188/ https://minutesof.com/q/98de6734-5527-4288-b667-73dc9a54b188/ “we knew from the noise, not from specific humid, from the noise. By noise you mean chatter on Chatter on intercept and chatter that something big was being planned.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove argues the 1993 World Trade Center bombing provided a clue to the target eight years before 9/11. https://minutesof.com/q/eb582387-9550-44e9-906e-d5b0555e2a04/ https://minutesof.com/q/eb582387-9550-44e9-906e-d5b0555e2a04/ “And what I'm saying is that we had a clue to the target in 'ninety three.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove contends Iraqi intelligence sources told Saddam rearmament was more advanced than reality, misleading https://minutesof.com/q/409a8ecd-797b-428b-a8e5-13d8268febb3/ https://minutesof.com/q/409a8ecd-797b-428b-a8e5-13d8268febb3/ “And the people we were talking to, I think, were telling Saddam that the rearmament was much more advanced than it actually was.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove argues Iraqi sources misled both Saddam and Western intelligence about rearmament progress out of fea https://minutesof.com/q/47ce0bdb-25d8-4870-8296-caa547934642/ https://minutesof.com/q/47ce0bdb-25d8-4870-8296-caa547934642/ “And the people we were talking to, I think, were telling Saddam that the rearmament was much more advanced than it actually was. So our sources themselves were telling Saddam stuff which wasn't entirely accurate.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove describes arriving at empty Libyan airbase and greeting two men in jeans to see Gaddafi. https://minutesof.com/q/7eb0f212-0024-452c-80ab-c5ea3288d9df/ https://minutesof.com/q/7eb0f212-0024-452c-80ab-c5ea3288d9df/ “Well, eventually two guys in jeans turn up. So we open the door of the plane and say hi. No, literally we say hi, we're here to see Gaddafi.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove recounts directly telling Gaddafi that disarmament deal required nuclear program inclusion despite Ga https://minutesof.com/q/101ac9f7-fc1c-4490-bdcf-b7958103fa7c/ https://minutesof.com/q/101ac9f7-fc1c-4490-bdcf-b7958103fa7c/ “Pretty much was blunt to that. And then I said, but the message I convey from the British and American governments is no deal unless the nuclear is involved.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove told Gaddafi directly there would be no deal unless nuclear disarmament was included in negotiations. https://minutesof.com/q/5ce1d4b2-3dff-4d90-a372-03bd25e70bee/ https://minutesof.com/q/5ce1d4b2-3dff-4d90-a372-03bd25e70bee/ “And I will reiterate, absolutely no deal unless that's included. I mean eventually, we end, we go back to thirty. It's now in the early hours of the morning, fly back to Tripoli.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove argues Iraq invasion decision placed 100% weight on intelligence rather than normal 80% policy mix. https://minutesof.com/q/bdda7c38-6b48-4322-89fb-8255d10b09f7/ https://minutesof.com/q/bdda7c38-6b48-4322-89fb-8255d10b09f7/ “So as it were, the intelligence beam had too much weight on it and it buckled.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove advised Blair not to dissolve Iraqi army and Ba'ath structures but Blair did not follow advice. https://minutesof.com/q/8c61c2d7-9777-4622-ad20-7f062122d3da/ https://minutesof.com/q/8c61c2d7-9777-4622-ad20-7f062122d3da/ “And my advice to Blair, which he didn't follow, because I'm not a policy guy, but I said, look, what we should have because bits of the Iraqi army were not particularly contaminated by Saddam Hussein.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove reveals he advised Blair not to dissolve Iraqi military structures but was not followed. https://minutesof.com/q/bfbba604-7bd3-4437-9b78-d46863824daf/ https://minutesof.com/q/bfbba604-7bd3-4437-9b78-d46863824daf/ “my advice to Blair, which he didn't follow, because I'm not a policy guy, but I said, look, what we should have because bits of the Iraqi army were not particularly contaminated by Saddam Hussein.” — Cliveden Literary Festival Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:16:04 +0000 Dearlove argues the UK would effectively block Macron's political integration plans for Europe. https://minutesof.com/q/a93041e2-9cae-49c9-9e38-a3953b135108/ https://minutesof.com/q/a93041e2-9cae-49c9-9e38-a3953b135108/ “Quite honestly if Macron is determined to integrate Europe politically, as he states, he really doesn't want us to be part of it because we would be very effective in stopping his progress.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove says the UK-US relationship extends beyond defense and security to trading terms. https://minutesof.com/q/e931afb9-a14e-4353-a87d-9438d2b1d125/ https://minutesof.com/q/e931afb9-a14e-4353-a87d-9438d2b1d125/ “I think we need to think more broadly. We have a very close relationship with The United States, not only in defense and security terms, but also in trading terms.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove argues Trump's relations with the UK have been less difficult than Obama's in some respects. https://minutesof.com/q/45b23572-eda7-4c7f-ac84-df833a14ec06/ https://minutesof.com/q/45b23572-eda7-4c7f-ac84-df833a14ec06/ “I mean, I I think I could make a convincing argument that in some respects Trump's administration in terms of their relations with The UK have not been altogether as difficult as Obama.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove suggests Trump's administration has been less difficult for UK relations than Obama's was. https://minutesof.com/q/1c977eb8-3dfb-40f0-953e-a7282f84d0bc/ https://minutesof.com/q/1c977eb8-3dfb-40f0-953e-a7282f84d0bc/ “I think I could make a convincing argument that in some respects Trump's administration in terms of their relations with The UK have not been altogether as difficult as Obama.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove states he has seen no convincing evidence of significant Russian intervention in Brexit referendum. https://minutesof.com/q/fe3ddcd6-4689-4e92-bbbc-40a87ceaf3f0/ https://minutesof.com/q/fe3ddcd6-4689-4e92-bbbc-40a87ceaf3f0/ “I don't think I've not seen anything that convinces me at all that the Russians intervened significantly in the Brexit referendum.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove states he has seen no convincing evidence of significant Russian intervention in the Brexit referendu https://minutesof.com/q/5a88cc36-162f-4326-acc4-4225b2d6cda2/ https://minutesof.com/q/5a88cc36-162f-4326-acc4-4225b2d6cda2/ “I've not seen anything that convinces me at all that the Russians intervened significantly in the Brexit referendum.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove argues terrorism does not present a systemic threat to the nation despite possibility of horrible att https://minutesof.com/q/f693713e-34c2-4704-9288-9a781497cea2/ https://minutesof.com/q/f693713e-34c2-4704-9288-9a781497cea2/ “I mean, I don't think terrorism in its current form, you know, presents a systemic threat to the nation. It presents, the possibility of horrible happenings,” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove argues terrorism does not present a systemic threat to the nation despite horrible incidents. https://minutesof.com/q/809d9720-b805-49cd-898d-01816adc6fd9/ https://minutesof.com/q/809d9720-b805-49cd-898d-01816adc6fd9/ “I don't think terrorism in its current form, you know, presents a systemic threat to the nation. It presents, the possibility of horrible happenings,” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove argues terrorism does not present a systemic threat to the nation despite horrible individual attacks https://minutesof.com/q/4ac9daba-fd01-4b76-a3c6-c16e667908a4/ https://minutesof.com/q/4ac9daba-fd01-4b76-a3c6-c16e667908a4/ “I don't think terrorism in its current form, you know, presents a systemic threat to the nation. It presents, the possibility of horrible happenings, which we are learning how to deal with.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove rates UK's Brexit position as near five out of ten, predicting strength after turbulence. https://minutesof.com/q/82db8034-7b53-46a3-bbbd-f8daba9ff1bb/ https://minutesof.com/q/82db8034-7b53-46a3-bbbd-f8daba9ff1bb/ “two years of turbulence? Probably near a five. I would pick near a five. I think we can emerge from that in a pretty strong position” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove rates Brexit turbulence near five out of ten and believes UK can emerge strong with self-confidence. https://minutesof.com/q/793013d2-ebfc-4cca-ba31-a1c0cab445ad/ https://minutesof.com/q/793013d2-ebfc-4cca-ba31-a1c0cab445ad/ “I would pick near a five. I think we can emerge from that in a pretty strong position if we do not lose self belief and self confidence.” — BBC Politics Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:16:05 +0000 Dearlove argues that closing borders to migration is impossible without removing the underlying causes driving https://minutesof.com/q/8f9294d8-9a27-4276-9fec-380f4816e3b2/ https://minutesof.com/q/8f9294d8-9a27-4276-9fec-380f4816e3b2/ “Simply shutting the door on migration is not an option. History tells us that human tides are irresistible unless the gravitational pull that causes them is removed.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove invokes Rome's fall to barbarian migration as a historical precedent for today's challenges. https://minutesof.com/q/edf50a20-3a65-47fa-ba90-6d83b390bca3/ https://minutesof.com/q/edf50a20-3a65-47fa-ba90-6d83b390bca3/ “Edward Gibbon elegantly charted how Rome, with all its civic and administrative sophistication and military prowess, could not stop its empire being overrun by the mass movement of Europe's tribes.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove says intelligence analysis, not borders, is key to counter-terrorism as threats come from within Euro https://minutesof.com/q/3b548870-4092-4c16-9508-510a8f13dc35/ https://minutesof.com/q/3b548870-4092-4c16-9508-510a8f13dc35/ “Good intelligence, drawing on human and technical sources, and the analysis of data flows is the key to effective counter terrorism.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove says intelligence analysis matters more than borders; lethal terrorists already inside Europe and UK. https://minutesof.com/q/2cfda5e1-9afb-466e-83bc-9853d2ae847a/ https://minutesof.com/q/2cfda5e1-9afb-466e-83bc-9853d2ae847a/ “And a number of the most lethal terrorists are from inside Europe, including The UK.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove asserts UK intelligence capabilities exceed those of most European partners. https://minutesof.com/q/e73ef964-d6d3-48ad-a0fe-323af0a32504/ https://minutesof.com/q/e73ef964-d6d3-48ad-a0fe-323af0a32504/ “Third, for reasons that I don't have time to explain, The UK, compared to most of its European partners, is good at this sort of intelligence work.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove challenges claims that leaving the EU would reduce UK security. https://minutesof.com/q/652ddfec-1e72-436a-b435-569cbd8b9e85/ https://minutesof.com/q/652ddfec-1e72-436a-b435-569cbd8b9e85/ “The argument that we would be less secure if we left the EU is, in reality, rather difficult to make.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove argues Brexit would bring security gains by giving UK full control over its security policy. https://minutesof.com/q/10898033-2078-459f-ae25-dca5197707dc/ https://minutesof.com/q/10898033-2078-459f-ae25-dca5197707dc/ “There would, in fact, be some gains as if we left because The UK would be fully master of its own house.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove predicts UK would maintain counter-terrorism leadership and European coordination after Brexit. https://minutesof.com/q/83799229-cc17-43d2-b063-7106b09545ae/ https://minutesof.com/q/83799229-cc17-43d2-b063-7106b09545ae/ “Counterterrorist coordination across Europe would certainly continue, and The UK would remain a leader in the field.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove says EU membership does not significantly affect UK counter-terrorism cooperation quality. https://minutesof.com/q/c24fd392-da0c-416b-a173-9e2199da96e2/ https://minutesof.com/q/c24fd392-da0c-416b-a173-9e2199da96e2/ “The idea that the quality of that cooperation depends in any significant way on our EU membership is misleading.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove warns EU faces populist uprising if it fails to control migration crisis effectively. https://minutesof.com/q/d4768ca7-159e-4499-abbd-21fae5bf8006/ https://minutesof.com/q/d4768ca7-159e-4499-abbd-21fae5bf8006/ “If Europe cannot act together to persuade a majority of its citizens that it can gain control of its migratory crisis, then the EU will find itself at the mercy of a populist uprising, which is already stirring.” — BBC News Mon, 16 May 2016 17:13:13 +0000 Dearlove warns that in Egypt, 44% of the population is illiterate and lives on under $2 daily. https://minutesof.com/q/7feaf7b1-fda2-4797-a078-405bd04c3287/ https://minutesof.com/q/7feaf7b1-fda2-4797-a078-405bd04c3287/ “Bear in mind when you're talking about Egypt, forty four percent of the population is illiterate and exists on less than $2 a day.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove calls Assange an undignified flag bearer who distracts from the important issues WikiLeaks raises. https://minutesof.com/q/12491589-90d9-46c2-bcc3-9a94e5574be6/ https://minutesof.com/q/12491589-90d9-46c2-bcc3-9a94e5574be6/ “So what I think is important in this is the Assange story as such is ultimately a distraction. He's a very undignified flagpant in my opinion for a very important issue.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove dismisses as idiotic the suggestion that Sweden's judiciary is pressured by sinister forces in Assang https://minutesof.com/q/619397a3-17af-4f10-81a4-f3c4dbc7f756/ https://minutesof.com/q/619397a3-17af-4f10-81a4-f3c4dbc7f756/ “Frankly, it is completely idiotic to suggest that Swedish judiciary is being pressurized by sinister forces. If you really think that you're into conspiracy theories,” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove identifies WikiLeaks' disclosure of 251,287 State Department telegrams as a game changer by sheer sca https://minutesof.com/q/6616a55b-13af-40dd-af42-16415137b37a/ https://minutesof.com/q/6616a55b-13af-40dd-af42-16415137b37a/ “We'll come back to that in a minute. And Wikileaks is disclosing 251,287 US State Department telegrams. 251,287.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove says WikiLeaks is releasing 251,287 State Department telegrams over what will be three thousand days https://minutesof.com/q/e8b48fc3-f1c5-4c00-b0f4-e6a22c91d155/ https://minutesof.com/q/e8b48fc3-f1c5-4c00-b0f4-e6a22c91d155/ “Wikileaks is disclosing 251,287 US State Department telegrams. 251,287. Now in the past, the journalist who specializes on writing about the State had disclosed 10 State Department telegrams, it would have been a sensation.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove says WikiLeaks leak resulted from stunning US IT incompetence following post-9/11 information-sharing https://minutesof.com/q/98278b0a-3f81-45cc-96f6-6403ba8f2300/ https://minutesof.com/q/98278b0a-3f81-45cc-96f6-6403ba8f2300/ “The fact that these are in the public domain is a consequence of stunning incompetence in terms of the US government's IT security and should never have happened.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove outlines basic IT security protocols that US systems violated: no downloads, no printing, keystroke a https://minutesof.com/q/17198ca4-bba3-4b86-bb86-fbf0dca823e7/ https://minutesof.com/q/17198ca4-bba3-4b86-bb86-fbf0dca823e7/ “Now the first thing you do is if you're trying to protect secrets, you don't have any openings on your system. You can read on the screen. Every keystroke is audited.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove describes basic security protocols that US systems failed to implement: no print, no download, keystr https://minutesof.com/q/2bc6696e-67cc-49a4-8389-cd2f9dfe9300/ https://minutesof.com/q/2bc6696e-67cc-49a4-8389-cd2f9dfe9300/ “You can read on the screen. Every keystroke is audited. You can't print. You can't download. I mean that's just so basic. It's ridiculous.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove warns WikiLeaks may cause government officials to stop writing records, eliminating crucial audit tra https://minutesof.com/q/59437560-285d-42e9-bddd-425cae78dced/ https://minutesof.com/q/59437560-285d-42e9-bddd-425cae78dced/ “And that is to, let's say, encourage government servants not to write full records to conduct business by word-of-mouth.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove warns the Muslim Brotherhood prioritizes Islam over democracy and is Egypt's only organized political https://minutesof.com/q/b184c467-eaf6-431f-83eb-3ff2ec1032ca/ https://minutesof.com/q/b184c467-eaf6-431f-83eb-3ff2ec1032ca/ “I think the problem with the Muslim brotherhood is it's more interested in Islam than it is in democracy. Democracy. And it is the only significantly organized political party” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000 Dearlove says the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is more interested in Islam than democracy, posing a worry. https://minutesof.com/q/102421b2-80ff-4c8c-8516-052b8f734fa1/ https://minutesof.com/q/102421b2-80ff-4c8c-8516-052b8f734fa1/ “I think the problem with the Muslim brotherhood is it's more interested in Islam than it is in democracy.” — Cambridge Union Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:29:16 +0000