Time November 2/November 9 “The View Time with … Outgoing M16 chief Alex Younger on fighting misinformation, protecting democracy, and life as a spy” by Angelina Jolie
Image source FT.COM
Summary of the interview
On the secret life as a spy “An unusual way of life…risk of isolation, but because our work is secret, those of us who do it develop tight bonds.” “We are never asked to conceal what we do from our partners.” The movies create a sense of a morality-free environment in the spy business. “You need to have very developed sense of your values as a person, as a human being and as an organization.”
Espionage and the wider good “We seek to defend the values of our liberal democracy, and we understand that if we undermine those values we haven’t achieved anything…” In doing so we are “up against the geopolitical bullies of the world-the terrorists or the war criminals or the nuclear proliferators. We make life harder for people like that.”
Afganistan. “It’s always been clear to me that this is not the type of conflict for which there is a military solution. It has to end in dialogue.” Can we regain consensus on human rights and holding aggressors to account? “My expectation is that we’ll have to find different ways of creating consequences for those who violate global norms.”
After being a career spy ending with six years as M16 chief, “Why are you speaking now?” “I want to send a message that our fate is in our hands. We should have confidence in the things that make us strong: our institutions, our alliances and our capacity to innovate.”
Russia and the election. “It is a serious problem, and we should organize to prevent it.” “Russia didn’t create the things that divide us. We did, and it’s in our power to sort them out.”
China. “I think they will seek to buttress their legitimacy by doubling down on nationalist ideology.” “We mustn’t be naïve. We need to retain the capacity to defend ourselves. We need to establish rules of coexistence…We should use the weight of global problems to force statesmanship on all sides.”
Trust…”lack of trust in the information we receive.” Younger suggests when you find yourself in full agreement with what you read or hear then get acquainted with the opposing point-of-view. “I think we should be training ourselves, training our kids, it should be part of our daily lives…” to listen and learn the other side of the story.