Category: intel

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Forget John le Carré’s novels — they’re unrealistic, says former spy chief

Colin Henderson

David Omand, the former head of GCHQ, told the Cheltenham Literature Festival that the author’s works were entertainment and should be read ‘for pleasure’ John le Carré worked for MI5 and MI6ANDREW FOX/MIRRORPIX/GETTY IMAGES David Sanderson, Arts Correspondent Wednesday October 14 2026, 1.00pm BST, The Times Listen • 4:40 minShareSave John le Carré’s fiction should be forgotten about as it gives an unrealistic portrait of the intelligence services, the former head of GCHQ has said. David Omand said that the authors Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene gave realistic depictions of the intelligence community, adding that many others including le Carré were just entertainment. Omand, … Continue reading Forget John le Carré’s novels — they’re unrealistic, says former spy chief

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Today Insight reveals the secret operation that has plunged the SAS into crisis.

Colin Henderson

Gabriel Pogrund, Insight Editor, Venetia Menzies, Insight Investigations Correspondent, and Emanuele Midolo, Insight Investigations Correspondent Saturday October 17 2026, 6.20pm BST, The Sunday Times Listen • 2:45 minShareSave Today Insight reveals the secret operation that has plunged the SAS into crisis. Here is what you need to know:  Five elite members of the Special Air Service (SAS) faced a three-year murder investigation after shooting two individuals, who turned out to be teenagers working for Isis, during a midnight raid in Syria in July 2022. The soldiers maintained they acted in self-defence as they had heard incoming fire and told the enemy to surrender to no avail, … Continue reading Today Insight reveals the secret operation that has plunged the SAS into crisis.

intel, iran, Military, Terrorism, UK, USLeave a comment

“UNITED KINGDOM Men arrested in major incident at UK air base used by US

Colin Henderson

Men arrested in major incident at UK air base used by US Summary Security ramped up at UK base used by US air forces RAF Fairford used to strike Iranian missile sites Men detained on suspected explosives offences Police say they believe situation is contained British police arrested several men on suspicion of explosives offences near an airbase used by the US ‌to strike Iranian targets, while Army bomb disposal experts searched vehicles and homes were evacuated in the “major incident” on Sunday. The British government, which gave authorisation to the US to use RAF Fairford to strike Iranian missile … Continue reading “UNITED KINGDOM Men arrested in major incident at UK air base used by US

briefing, intel, UK, US

Top US Lobby Firm Had Hidden Ties to Iran, Russia Oil Tycoons

Colin Henderson

 Summarize ​ Qorvis worked for companies that authorities say are overseen by sanctioned kingpins. The firm says it doesn’t take sanctioned money. Ben BartensteinSeptember 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT In early March, as the war in Iran sent oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel, executives at a Washington-based lobbying firm called Qorvis made an unusual suggestion to senior US officials, according to people familiar with the matter: The Trump administration should relax some sanctions on Iran and Russia to help stabilize the market. Within days, the Treasury Department issued short-term waivers allowing the sale and offloading of Iranian … Continue reading Top US Lobby Firm Had Hidden Ties to Iran, Russia Oil Tycoons

intel, Military

SAS chief: Army witch hunts put Britain at risk

Colin Henderson

Special forces recruitment is suffering as result of endless legal actions against soldiers, warns former brigadier Tom CotterillDefence EditorShow biography Published 31 August 2026 9:08pm BST Witch hunts against British special forces put the country at risk from Russia, the head of the association that represents SAS soldiers has warned. Brig Ed Butler, a retired former commanding officer of 22 SAS, said that recruitment into the elite unit was suffering as a result of repeated legal action against its members – weakening its ability to keep the country safe. Mr Butler, the new president of the SAS Regimental Association (Sasra), accused the Government of … Continue reading SAS chief: Army witch hunts put Britain at risk

intel, Military, US

US officials push back on reports of dangerously low munitions supplies

Colin Henderson

 Summarize ​ Experts warn that low stockpiles of air defence interceptors as a result of the war on Iran leave the US vulnerable. Joseph Stepansky The White House and Pentagon have pushed back on a slate of recent reports indicating that supplies of both offensive and defensive weapons have dropped dangerously low after five months of war on Iran. Experts have said that low supplies of air defence interceptors, particularly those used in Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) air defence systems, may pose a particular threat to US forces, with knock-on effects for allies in the region and beyond. … Continue reading US officials push back on reports of dangerously low munitions supplies

intel, iran, Israel, Military, NATO, Nuclear, Russia

Likelihood of world war is now a risk – ref “The Coming Storm“ Westad and parallels to 1912

Colin Henderson

Currently state analysis in context of potential for regional or World War. Examples: Note introduction of Bolivia as a direct and unpredicted new thread, along side Russia /China relations actively managed by China which could lead Putin to move asynchronously. ANALYSIS Prompt We appear to be in a high risk of a regional or even world war. Breakdowns in diplomacy now exist : Russia / china, us/ Israel, us/china, Iran/ Saudi, UAE,, quatar. Yemen remains a wild card. Output The risk architecture is real but worth disaggregating — not all breakdowns are equal, and some of the apparent fractures are … Continue reading Likelihood of world war is now a risk – ref “The Coming Storm“ Westad and parallels to 1912

EU, intel

EU Pledges Technical and Financial Aid to Restore Druzhba Pipeline

Colin Henderson

Wed, 03/18/2026 – 08:01https://www.pipeline-journal.net/news/eu-pledges-technical-and-financial-aid-restore-druzhba-pipelineEuropean Union leaders announced Tuesday that the bloc will provide technical and financial assistance to Ukraine to help restore oil flow through a section of the Druzhba pipeline running through Ukraine. Oil shipments through the pipeline were halted following a series of Russian missile strikes on the critical energy infrastructure in January, severing crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. In a joint statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel condemned the Jan. 27 attacks, which hit key nodes of the transit network. The disruption has left Central European nations … Continue reading EU Pledges Technical and Financial Aid to Restore Druzhba Pipeline

China, intel, Military, Russia

The war of signals: How Russia and China help Iran see the battlefield

Colin Henderson

Electronic warfare and intelligence sharing are eroding decades of US-Israeli dominance in the Gulf. Jasim Al-Azzawi Al Jazeera Opinion, 12 March 2026Best available structural read on how Russia’s Khayyam satellite imagery pipeline and China’s BeiDou-3 integration have collectively reshaped Iran’s kill chain — and why “coordinates are now more valuable than bullets” in the current conflict. Essential context for the BeiDou thread now elevated to standalone status. ——————————- When three senior American officials told The Washington Post that Russia was providing Iran with sensitive intelligence, including the precise locations of US warships and aircraft operating across the Middle East, they … Continue reading The war of signals: How Russia and China help Iran see the battlefield

Geopolitics, intel, Military

Morning Briefing — Sunday, March 15, 2026

Colin Henderson

1. What Changed Iran War — Day 15: Kharg Island Struck, Baghdad Embassy Hit Summary: US forces bombed military installations on Kharg Island — Iran’s primary oil export terminal — while Iranian drones struck the US Embassy helipad in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility. New today: Trump announced the Kharg Island strike; the State Department offered a $10M reward for intelligence on Khamenei and other top officials. The Embassy helipad attack confirms Iranian retaliation now targets US diplomatic infrastructure. Why it matters: Kharg handles roughly 90% of Iranian oil exports; its degradation deepens Iran’s economic pain but raises … Continue reading Morning Briefing — Sunday, March 15, 2026