Dearlove argues that closing borders to migration is impossible without removing the underlying causes driving it.
“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.”
Dearlove says Iraq invasion decision placed 100% weight on intelligence rather than the usual 80% on overt information.
“when it came to persuading Parliament to vote in favor of the invasion, 100% of the decision weight on the policy was placed on the intelligence.”
Dearlove says UK was not consulted on Bremer's dissolution of Iraqi military and advised Blair against it.
“The UK was not consulted on that issue. And my advice to Blair, which he didn't follow,”
Dearlove advised Blair not to dissolve Iraqi army and Ba'ath structures but Blair did not follow advice.
“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.”
Dearlove argues Iraq invasion decision placed 100% weight on intelligence rather than normal 80% policy mix.
“So as it were, the intelligence beam had too much weight on it and it buckled.”
Dearlove cites Australia as an example of handling China firmly despite intense commercial ties.
“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.”
Dearlove reveals US general was in hangar with 400 Iraqi officers when disbandment order arrived ending their pensions simultaneously.
“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.”
Dearlove reveals 400 Iraqi officers lost pensions when disbanding order came mid-meeting about governance.
“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.”