Flezzey

I think money, contracts and reputations will always influence the output of intelligence analysts BUT academics as well.

A frustration I have with sociologists or philosophers trying to approach counter terrorism issues is that they often just harp on the universal questions that are part of their discipline. For example they ask:
- do you need security services in today's society?
- should identified terrorist groups be given a forum for their grievances?
- prove that security services are not the presumed thought police of society?

From these humble beginnings comes nothing new and the public just assume its a bunch of leftys ranting – and return to making money (as you say).

What complicates your picture of government paid onesidedness is that:
- intelligence analysts ARE frequently leftwing, some of the better ones go further, preferring anarchism. This makes their analyses different and in conflict – which means a better argued result.
- Intelligence analysis agencies rely on academics passing through (on multi year contracts) or stopping there permanently to provide the necessary expertise and diversity.

Some of these people go on to the Monash/Macquarie centres Bendle refers to. Basically they’ve seen the spook bureaucratic world. They know what value to place on classified streams of information and they are now slightly less constrained on what they say. They can also talk to all the types on campus etc.

So, I think, an expansion of the existing interplay between academia and intelligence agencies is preferable to “novice academics disciplines” reinventing the wheel in the counter terrorism area.

Flezzey in the absence of any other former insiders writing on this string (if not in all of OLO?) you’ll have to take on trust and skepticism my personalised/dated(?) account of the Australian intelligence world. If it was the US we’d have many more ex (or current) insiders voicing their opinions. Then again you could read my blog.

Pete
http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com/

Thanks Pete, I was not aware most intel analysts were left wing. Wasn't that way when I was in Defence up at Fort Fumble in Canberra (Malfunction Junction!) I did find a deplorable apathy and sense of little boys playing big games in some circles; indeed was able to make some difference in one area of security that resulted in a senior officer being "retired" prematurely and his position upgraded to reflect the seriousness of the situation.

I was part of a team tasked with investigating security breaches at the time, but that was 20 years ago. We found cultures and attitudes among leadership were the real issue, rather than a lack of skill or knowledge. The rot started at the top, in this instance.

I shall visit your website tonight. My postings are more about public awareness of the current issues under discussion, not just within academia, which digresses a little from Bendle's argumenty, but I think we are of similar minds about that.

I have the deepest concerns about the public disinformation campaign, and distinct lack of information among the citizens of our nation, with regard to US plans. Where are the independant voices and how do the public get to hear them? And i f they do, then will they care, or are they happy with the status quo?

I agree whole-heartedly with your comment re people thinking some of the acadameics just left-wing loonies. As you say, their language and limited view is too familiar and out of place with the younger people of today. It is these people we must inform, if we are going to make any difference, in a so-called democracy. Their votes are the ones that will make the difference, in my humble view.

Thanks again Pete, talk later

Pssst - don't mention the 'War'.

5 years on, & what have we achieved? Greater dividends for the shareholders of Raytheon, M-Sorft, Genral Dynamics - the list goes on... We've all but given up on the civilian body counts in the countries subjected to the WOT. A milestone of military casualties in Iraq now puts US deaths above the 9-11 toll of the day.

Academic research into terrorists/terrorism/terror per se... well most of the real work was done in the '80's for those in the know.
The CT group par excellence (Special Air Service Regiment) developed and set up most of the current doctrines and response mechanisms nearly 25 yrs ago. They have fortunately evolved with the threat(s) apparent. The various state & territory jurisdictions have adopted complementary roles within their police forces - but are they really adequate if the 'manure hits the fan'?

The only significant research articles relative to our region of late, are texts originating from our Asian neighbours efforts to analyse and dissect the rise in Islamo-Fascism. Funnily enough as a 'Navy brat' in the mid/late 1960's, I listened to crusty old CPO's warn of the real & dire threat of Indonesia. These blokes were no mans fool's regarding their on the ground 'intel' (HUMINT) for want of better terminology. And yet today our own ADF fete their Kopassus troops on so called 'exchange exercises' - much to the chagrin of the Bayonet Men at Campbell Barracks.

Hmm... sounds again like someone's given Josef Mengele the keys to the creche me thinks....

Regional appeasement to the enjoyment of the corrupt Indonesian regimes.. Papua - MERDEKA! Across the border in PNG the spectre of AIDS gets no political profile, yet we can deny refugee status to those in real need of its umbrella.

Sad indeed are the coming days of Australia's visiting inhumanities and human rights abuses upon its near neighbours. History taught our political figures no lessons in Timor (1942, 1974, & 1990's.)

Even more tragic will be the perception management and collective political myopia evidently clouding any clear vista of the road ahead.

Bravo Alby, once again!

I was a Navy CPO training Indons in Indonesia in the 70's and 80's and said to one of my skippers once, "don't like this Sir, gonna copme back and bite us on the bum one day!" His reply was "I know Chief, however ours is not to reason why, but to do or die." He later became an Admiral but was probably more in bondage to his political masters than ever, by then. Though I did note his early retirement and disatisfaction with Navy and Defence in that post - we remain friends after 30 plus years.

Many uniformed people in Defence see the stupidities of our policy and atrocities of Indonesia and various SE Asian and African regimes, but who will listen to them? The mores enior our officers become the more they are gagged - if you want promotion keep your mouth shut and toe the line.

By the way, I served in PNG and Irian Jaya during teh mid-late 70's - and witnessed Indon atrocities on one occasion. Also saw how they operate at first hand, in many other situations.

In teh end, I saw we were being used as ineffectual tools and defacto oppressors by our political masters and resigned.

Flezzy - maybe you were one of those crusty ole bastards at the HMAS Tarangau/Kuttabul CPO's mess all those moons ago? I think not, but as you say our bums are bared under current 'pollie waffle'.

It scares the beejeezus out of me to know the Kopassus have intimate knowledge of our tactics and to some extent our doctrines. They have a dark and very chequered past. Bad move all around! Remember the Japanese geologists who mapped out remote airfields, naval approach routes, and tactical stuff like that in 1935 to 1937 'surveys' up in the Kimberley, East Arnhem Land and other spots in our north prior to WWII.

Speaking of incursions, just how many of the recent illegal fishing forays from Indon 'civvies' is actually that? No one has even begun to deconstruct or analyse the intel there. I have just this week returned from 6 weeks on oil platforms in the Timor Sea. Some of the stories you hear from long time worker there...

Without sounding alarmist, the intel that gets 'lost' & falls into the wrong hands is astounding, both here and within the TNI forces.

Many old Diggers, & Pussers of that era still warn us today. Who listens - no one. Having on several occasions been in the various "Black Rooms" it is a sobering, and at the same time, enlightening experience to witness the abject stupidity of the Military Intelligence machine - now there's another oxy moron...! The policies of the day dictate unfortunately. Hmmmm...how to bring about policy changes...?

In their defence though, there are still many good operators in the system - I just hope good sense and CDF prevails if we do get another Bali or worse incident on our doorstep.

Nice to hear you and your old 'Skipper' still keep in touch.

Cheers mate!