This is a guest post by MoreMediaNonsense
As a reluctant BBC licence payer, I do sometimes like to sit down and watch some of the better (outside produced, natch) drama that appears on the BBC. One such is Spooks, the James Bond meets “The Bill” espionage drama. Now Spooks and more specifically its plots have a bit of a reputation as a barometer of the nations’ attitude to terrorism – they certainly cause a stir on certain rather over zealous and extreme websites such as Biased BBC and (you’ll never guess) Socialist Unity – see Andy Newman at comment #44 here.
Certainly in the last series I found the convoluted and ridiculous plots involving eg Mossad false flag operations more than a little wearing, which is why I’ve been glad to see the opening episodes of this series have been concentrating on the more believable Al Qaeda and Russian threats. However once again last night Spooks again went off course when MI5 chief Harry decided it was right to negototiate with a “mainstream Al Qaeda” torturer who as well as wanting “respect” as a soldier was fighting for “a solution for Palestine, an end to the repressive regime in Saudi Arabia and US troops out of the Middle East”. Well who’s against that eh?
Even more forced and absurd was a scene where the urbane besuited torturer in an emotional scene excused Al-Qaeda’s actions as a response to all “the children murdered in Palestine and Iraq”. The MI5 agents had no answer to that – well what could they say? In the end Harry’s plans were foiled as the CIA blew away the Al Qaeda torturer after MI5 had let him go (to sad tut tutting from the Spooks).
Now of course you might say what does this matter. Well not much apart from what it shows about the hand wringing and delusional Stopperish attitude of Liberal Left writers and producers in the media mainstream. I mean Israel eh ? Can’t defend them – they’re as bad as Al-Qaeda ! The war in Iraq – no wonder Al-Qaeda’s angry – look at all the children being blown up!
As for the “New Model” Al Qaeda that just wants a few political scraps in exchange for world peace – well who’d have known it ? Where have they all been hiding ? Come in from the cold guys !
Lets hope our real Security Services are made of stronger stuff and don’t get all their ideas from the coked up luvvies and Soho “Liberals” that write modern TV drama.
