‘CIA sidekick’ gives £2.6M to U.K. media groups(declassifieduk.org)
declassifieduk.org
‘CIA sidekick’ gives £2.6M to U.K. media groups
https://declassifieduk.org/cia-sidekick-gives-2-6m-to-uk-media-groups/
80 comments
I'm sure the fact that Bellingcat almost exclusively targets CIA opponents is just a neat coincidence that exactly lines up with the documented money flows.
Whereas the fact that Wikileaks has released only one sizable cache of documents from Russia is proof positive that they're essentially their paid spies who need to know when to keep their trap shut :/
I'm pretty happy for foreign powers to dig up dirt on each other and release it publicly. It's one form of "warfare" with net positive side effects. It benefits everybody who isnt invested in maintaining the overwhelming power of "their" favored corrupt empire.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Whereas the fact that Wikileaks has released only one sizable cache of documents from Russia is proof positive that they're essentially their paid spies who need to know when to keep their trap shut :/
I'm pretty happy for foreign powers to dig up dirt on each other and release it publicly. It's one form of "warfare" with net positive side effects. It benefits everybody who isnt invested in maintaining the overwhelming power of "their" favored corrupt empire.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Bellingcat have done all kinds of investigations, including some which embarrass or implicate in war crimes governments like that of Ethiopia, Chad, and Cameroon who are US allies.
Here's another example, which highlights the lax security of US troops guarding nuclear weapons in Europe, and which strengthens the hands of activists campaigning for European governments to disallow those agreements: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/05/28/us-soldiers-expos...
However, it's important to emphasise that a group can have a singular focus area and still be independent. Its researchers all have their own personal interest areas and areas of expertise (esp. in language), which drives the kinds of things they focus on. As long as nobody is directing them, and so far nobody has provided convincing evidence of that, it's not something you can rely on to prove bias. A smoking gun would be if it emerged that they actually worked on something that would embarrass the US or UK and then covered it up.
Are they pawns for the West? Maybe. But we need better evidence than this to make that a believable case.
Wikileaks I believe was accused for instance of actually having damaging documents on Russia and deciding not to release them for some reason. It was an active decision they made despite having the means, and went against their professed claim of not holding back.
Here's another example, which highlights the lax security of US troops guarding nuclear weapons in Europe, and which strengthens the hands of activists campaigning for European governments to disallow those agreements: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/05/28/us-soldiers-expos...
However, it's important to emphasise that a group can have a singular focus area and still be independent. Its researchers all have their own personal interest areas and areas of expertise (esp. in language), which drives the kinds of things they focus on. As long as nobody is directing them, and so far nobody has provided convincing evidence of that, it's not something you can rely on to prove bias. A smoking gun would be if it emerged that they actually worked on something that would embarrass the US or UK and then covered it up.
Are they pawns for the West? Maybe. But we need better evidence than this to make that a believable case.
Wikileaks I believe was accused for instance of actually having damaging documents on Russia and deciding not to release them for some reason. It was an active decision they made despite having the means, and went against their professed claim of not holding back.
Your article reminds me of another article I read about horrendous nuclear weapons security in the US that appeared years before bellingcat existed. It seemed as weird then as it is now that the US government would willingly embarrass itself, but I can see how it might come about as a result of interagency rivalry and/or frustration that deep-seated dangerous security lapses were getting bureaucratically buried.
I'd be deeply surprised if Bellingcat released anything that embarrassed the director of the CIA.
I glanced at the bellingcat page on Ethiopia to see if they really were undermining the integrity of a US ally as you implied. Top story is about the fact that they're using Iranian drones, which is a bit of a poke in the eye to the US, and, depressingly, probably is the aspect of the conflict the CIA feels most invested in.
I'd be deeply surprised if Bellingcat released anything that embarrassed the director of the CIA.
I glanced at the bellingcat page on Ethiopia to see if they really were undermining the integrity of a US ally as you implied. Top story is about the fact that they're using Iranian drones, which is a bit of a poke in the eye to the US, and, depressingly, probably is the aspect of the conflict the CIA feels most invested in.
Or, the alternative and simpler explanation: Bellingcat aren't directed by the US government in the way you believe. Nor were the journalists who exposed lax nuclear weapons security in the past.
Also, the article says Bellingcat received under 100k last year from the NED, so maybe a salary for a permanent employee. This is a very light investment if the goal was to effect large impacts on major targets.
> Bellingcat aren't directed by the US government in the way you believe.
The CIA aren't directed by the US government in the way you believe.
The CIA aren't directed by the US government in the way you believe.
> horrendous nuclear weapons security in the US
Nuclear security is a joke everywhere. This industry has one of the worst track records of reliability/security, not just in the US.
> I'd be deeply surprised if Bellingcat released anything that embarrassed the director of the CIA.
A New Platform Tracks Airstrikes in Yemen ( https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2021/07/20/a-new-platfo... )
The Telltale Traces of the US Military’s New ‘Bladed’ Missile ( https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/how-tos/2021/08/26/the-... )
That's what i found in less than 5 minutes browsing links on that site. I would assume that's embarrassing for US intelligence services, but hey what do i know.
Nuclear security is a joke everywhere. This industry has one of the worst track records of reliability/security, not just in the US.
> I'd be deeply surprised if Bellingcat released anything that embarrassed the director of the CIA.
A New Platform Tracks Airstrikes in Yemen ( https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2021/07/20/a-new-platfo... )
The Telltale Traces of the US Military’s New ‘Bladed’ Missile ( https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/how-tos/2021/08/26/the-... )
That's what i found in less than 5 minutes browsing links on that site. I would assume that's embarrassing for US intelligence services, but hey what do i know.
The top link is more embarrassing for their Saudi allies rather than the CIA directly, but fair point - it's clearly not targeted at an enemy but an ally using Western armaments.
It did pop up not too long after a publicized "cooling" of relations between the two countries, though: https://en.qantara.de/content/under-joe-biden-us-cools-relat...
The second is practically a brag.
It did pop up not too long after a publicized "cooling" of relations between the two countries, though: https://en.qantara.de/content/under-joe-biden-us-cools-relat...
The second is practically a brag.
> I can see how it might come about as a result of interagency rivalry
Maybe. Or maybe not everything is part of a conspiracy. I don’t mean that in a snarky way.
This thread is straying pretty far from fact and relying a lot of suppositions about intent.
Maybe. Or maybe not everything is part of a conspiracy. I don’t mean that in a snarky way.
This thread is straying pretty far from fact and relying a lot of suppositions about intent.
It is ignorant to reduce US policies into an ally or not dichotomy. An entity being allied with the US does not mean that it will always work in the interest of the US, e.g., Germany's NS2 project. And US-Ethiopian relations have deteriorated significantly in the past two years. Partly due to Trump siding entirely with Egypt in the Nile/GERD contention, going so far as to state Egypt should bomb the dam. And more recently, due to US engagement in the horrific Northern Ethiopian war, where human rights violations have been committed by all sides. However, the US has only enacted sanctions against the Ethiopian government and its allies. And some Ethiopian officials have accused the US of abetting the rebels.
> Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
And a leading cause of skin cancer.
The counter-argument — just as much of an applause light as your quote — is this from Cardinal Richelieu:
"If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him."
I’m definitely not suggesting governments shouldn’t be investigated — indeed they should, and I suspect that only hostile governments have the resources and motivation necessary to do this effectively, more than opposition parties — but I expect that even the best government has enough skeletons inside it to fall to propaganda that is merely selective reporting of true things.
And a leading cause of skin cancer.
The counter-argument — just as much of an applause light as your quote — is this from Cardinal Richelieu:
"If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him."
I’m definitely not suggesting governments shouldn’t be investigated — indeed they should, and I suspect that only hostile governments have the resources and motivation necessary to do this effectively, more than opposition parties — but I expect that even the best government has enough skeletons inside it to fall to propaganda that is merely selective reporting of true things.
> independent and unaccountable entities like it in our discourse
Those are basically your only options, sadly. It's been absolutely incredible watching the billionaire-funded UK press struggle with the 10 Downing Street revelations. The revolving door between the Sun and the Tory party has been particularly bad - one of the parties was a leaving do for the director of communications moving from one to another.
Similarly the attempt at smearing the Labour party by bringing up old links to a Chinese spy fell apart when it was revealed she'd also been paying Tory parliamentarians. Then there's the £160k game of tennis, etc. https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-report-donors-boris-j...
Those are basically your only options, sadly. It's been absolutely incredible watching the billionaire-funded UK press struggle with the 10 Downing Street revelations. The revolving door between the Sun and the Tory party has been particularly bad - one of the parties was a leaving do for the director of communications moving from one to another.
Similarly the attempt at smearing the Labour party by bringing up old links to a Chinese spy fell apart when it was revealed she'd also been paying Tory parliamentarians. Then there's the £160k game of tennis, etc. https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-report-donors-boris-j...
There is no such thing as money with no strings attached. Even if it was not meant that way, or explicit quid pro quo in any way, after time Bellingcat would be more reticent to anger their financers.
Having worked in media, I do agree that there are always strings attached to the money.
However, the relationship between money and reporting is not straightforward. For instance, Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and many other lobbyists that pay media are suggesting the topics, not the content.
They pay for coverage and your editor in chief commits into producing x articles on y subjects, the content is left at the exercise of the journalist.
Do not forget that journalists are often freelancers working for multiple outlets and they do try to enforce deontologic rules as a way to protect their profession.
Compared to software developers, journalists earn less but own more. They do keep the right to the content and are liable individually. There are lots of restrictions in place as to what media outlets can and can not do to journalists, and some are even enshrined in laws.
However, the relationship between money and reporting is not straightforward. For instance, Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and many other lobbyists that pay media are suggesting the topics, not the content.
They pay for coverage and your editor in chief commits into producing x articles on y subjects, the content is left at the exercise of the journalist.
Do not forget that journalists are often freelancers working for multiple outlets and they do try to enforce deontologic rules as a way to protect their profession.
Compared to software developers, journalists earn less but own more. They do keep the right to the content and are liable individually. There are lots of restrictions in place as to what media outlets can and can not do to journalists, and some are even enshrined in laws.
You can't possibly seriously propose, the Gates foundation would suggest the topic and then ...Although not directly involved in the content, not choose a media where they could be assured the delivery will be to their satisfaction.
From my experience, they often work on matters that are orthogonal to political divisions. If anything, they would shell out money to media with specialized audience just because they want wider coverage of issues they are interested in.
If they're the biggest chunk of your funding, sure. If it's just one funding source amongst many, which is the strategy taken by groups like Bellingcat to avoid that sort of implicit coercion, then that's really not a factor.
The NED has been a CIA front from the beginning and it consistently funds opponents of US empire.
It is possible that groups accepting NED funding aren't aware of this, but being a candidate for such funding means the CIA finds such a group useful.
It is possible that groups accepting NED funding aren't aware of this, but being a candidate for such funding means the CIA finds such a group useful.
We have to dismiss them shallowly, and squarely.
If you spend too much time on trying to put "substantive argument" against such nutjobbery, you only work towards giving them more credulence.
If you spend too much time on trying to put "substantive argument" against such nutjobbery, you only work towards giving them more credulence.
"Declassified could find no NED grants awarded in any of the six US-backed dictatorships in the Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. By contrast, the NED spent $9.4m on 162 grants in Venezuela – where the US seeks the removal of the Nicolás Maduro government – in 2016-19 alone."
Also a minimal donation and an accidental leak is a great way to discredit various organizations and journalists as was revealed in another leak, so this should be taken with a grain of salt.
It's miminimal that we now know about. Now the question is: what else is still not exposed? Who is being influenced? Is it still fair to dismiss such idea as "conspiracy theory"?
Maybe a good rule of thumb is that every independent and not-for-profit org is actually a front for covert interests, unless they are really popular and can survive on donations alone.
I agree. But that does not mean they are just propaganda tools. CIA and Mi6 is not the same as FSB or MSS.
Yeah, they're much worse and more capable.
Interestingly Venezuela is listed as democratic country in this article. I suspect there are a lot of Venezuela people who would disagree with such statement.
I would argue that Venezuela is not very democratic, now, but Hugo Chavez was originally elected democratically. I suspect this is referring to actions to undermine his government at the time.
Pretty much like Putin or Lukashenka. Both were elected democratically in the first run. The problem is, they stayed in power long after their democratic mandate expired.
Putin's mandate is as solid as ever. You may hate him, but he's still overwhelmingly popular politician in Russia.
That's not how democracy works. Kim Jong-un is extremely popular in North Korea either I guess. Far more popular than Biden is in the US in any case.
Very easy to be popular when you control the media and can just have the opposition poisoned. Stalin was (and to some people still is!) overwhelmingly popular.
Whereas the US has virtually all media under the thumb of 15 billionaire oligarchs and Julian Assange rotting in prison.
Its amazing to me that Americans are so eager to point out Russia's poisoning of dissenters, yet choose to clearly ignore the chemical lobotomy that has been dished out to Assange while he is in one of the Wests' most heinous of all torture chambers.
HM Prison Belmarsh? I’m no fan of the U.K. government, especially because they didn’t even bother to tell Sweden he had been removed from the embassy even though Sweden’s existing case was why he was in there in the first place, but Belmarsh is neither a torture chamber nor even remotely comparable to e.g. Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
UN Special Rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer - is he a liar, do you think?
Why would you think I think that?
Nils Melzer has severely criticised the USA for Gitmo, and also “cautiously” welcomed a British court’s refusal to expedite assigned the USA specifically on the grounds that the USA is likely to be much worse.
While Nils Melzer is critical of Assange’s treatment by U.K. authorities, the behaviour he criticised also includes the fact they were not willing to ignore him if he left his self imposed imprisonments in the embassy. Even with the most hostile interpretation I can manage (and I really don’t have a reason to like the U.K. government even before Johnson started doing Nixon impressions), Belmarsh prison, where Assange is currently being detained, is not even close to being on the list of the “Wests' most heinous of all torture chambers”.
Nils Melzer has severely criticised the USA for Gitmo, and also “cautiously” welcomed a British court’s refusal to expedite assigned the USA specifically on the grounds that the USA is likely to be much worse.
While Nils Melzer is critical of Assange’s treatment by U.K. authorities, the behaviour he criticised also includes the fact they were not willing to ignore him if he left his self imposed imprisonments in the embassy. Even with the most hostile interpretation I can manage (and I really don’t have a reason to like the U.K. government even before Johnson started doing Nixon impressions), Belmarsh prison, where Assange is currently being detained, is not even close to being on the list of the “Wests' most heinous of all torture chambers”.
Forcing prisoners to take mind-altering psychotropic drugs is torture. This is happening at Belmarsh. Assange is being lobotomized.
The people always get the governments they deserve.
Putin hasn't been removed - democratically or by violent coup - simply because he is popular with the people who have chosen to be ruled by him.
This doesn't align with the two minutes hate narrative that the West want to use in order to justify its direct interference in Russian democracy - in a sovereign country - so a lot of noise is made to occlude this fact and justify the usurpation of Russian politics.
Putin hasn't been removed - democratically or by violent coup - simply because he is popular with the people who have chosen to be ruled by him.
This doesn't align with the two minutes hate narrative that the West want to use in order to justify its direct interference in Russian democracy - in a sovereign country - so a lot of noise is made to occlude this fact and justify the usurpation of Russian politics.
sam_lowry_(2)
The same would be true for US as well - or any country based on how people feel about the party/person in power.
The CIA was involved in the failed 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela when the army took over and dissolved the parliament, temporarily.
In 2018 the CIA was again planning a coup, or disruption at least, revolving around the planned December 2018 elections. The Venezuelans got wind of this and bumped the elections up a few months. The CIA was caught flat footed somewhat, and the December plans went into effect early. The idea floated that the 2018 elections were rigged doesn't really fly. Even Trump didn't like the puppet the US was trying to push as the real head of Venezuela, Guaido. He called him the Beto O'Rourke of Venezuela.
In 2018 the CIA was again planning a coup, or disruption at least, revolving around the planned December 2018 elections. The Venezuelans got wind of this and bumped the elections up a few months. The CIA was caught flat footed somewhat, and the December plans went into effect early. The idea floated that the 2018 elections were rigged doesn't really fly. Even Trump didn't like the puppet the US was trying to push as the real head of Venezuela, Guaido. He called him the Beto O'Rourke of Venezuela.
Venezuelan here.
> The CIA was involved in the failed 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela when the army took over and dissolved the parliament, temporarily.
Yes, but half of the country was out in the streets asking for his resignation at the same time, cannot deny that.
> The idea floated that the 2018 elections were rigged doesn't really fly.
Americans like to talk about voter oppression, what about armed guns rolling up to your voting center, firing guns into the air to scare voters away because they were losing or something.
I personally lived through that, cannot tell me it's a CIA psyop.
The VAST majority of people here are against the government, even people who were previously very pro-government, since at least 5 years ago.
Yet they somehow won the last couple elections... no one really believes those results.
> The CIA was involved in the failed 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela when the army took over and dissolved the parliament, temporarily.
Yes, but half of the country was out in the streets asking for his resignation at the same time, cannot deny that.
> The idea floated that the 2018 elections were rigged doesn't really fly.
Americans like to talk about voter oppression, what about armed guns rolling up to your voting center, firing guns into the air to scare voters away because they were losing or something.
I personally lived through that, cannot tell me it's a CIA psyop.
The VAST majority of people here are against the government, even people who were previously very pro-government, since at least 5 years ago.
Yet they somehow won the last couple elections... no one really believes those results.
2.6M doesn’t seem like a whole lot of money…
It’s just one of the sources.
It was obvious from the beginning that outlets like Bellingcat, that were presented as independent, in reality just CIA and Mi6 pawns.
It was obvious from the beginning that outlets like Bellingcat, that were presented as independent, in reality just CIA and Mi6 pawns.
There seems to be rather more evidence that they are pawns of the "Dutch Postcode Lottery", who are a major source of income.
If Bellingcat were CIA and MI6 pawns, I would rather acclaim CIA and MI6 for their ability to to create such a quality media.
OTOH, Russia Today is a waste of money and resources by Putin's administration.
OTOH, Russia Today is a waste of money and resources by Putin's administration.
CIA and Mi6 are controversial but that does not mean they are the same as FSB or MMS.
Why not? Because they are “the good guys”?
Does the CIA assassinate US journos for saying bad things about the government?
Character assassination doesn’t count.
Have western intelligence services been implicated in something similar to FSBs domestic assassination program lately? No?
Character assassination doesn’t count.
Have western intelligence services been implicated in something similar to FSBs domestic assassination program lately? No?
> Character assassination doesn’t count.
Why not? Character assasination is far more effective than two bullets to the back of the head.
Character assasination is positive PR and a distraction. There’s no real way you can spin a “journalist who criticized the US government was found dead” story.
> Have western intelligence services been implicated in something similar to FSBs domestic assassination program lately? No?
Western intelligence services run torture camps and secret prisons all over the world. Just because they don’t have a domestic assasination program doesn’t make them any better.
Why not? Character assasination is far more effective than two bullets to the back of the head.
Character assasination is positive PR and a distraction. There’s no real way you can spin a “journalist who criticized the US government was found dead” story.
> Have western intelligence services been implicated in something similar to FSBs domestic assassination program lately? No?
Western intelligence services run torture camps and secret prisons all over the world. Just because they don’t have a domestic assasination program doesn’t make them any better.
>Why not?
Because murdering someone and making them look bad are not the same thing. Even children know this.
> Just because they don’t have a domestic assasination program doesn’t make them any better.
Why not? Is the argument here that western intelligence agencies do bad stuff at a bigger scale than the FSB and the MSS? I’d love to see evidence of that.
I think the truth is that western intelligence agencies face far more scrutiny. The FSB can (attempt to) murder leading opposition politicians without any meaningful domestic criticism, the same is absolutely not true of western services.
Because murdering someone and making them look bad are not the same thing. Even children know this.
> Just because they don’t have a domestic assasination program doesn’t make them any better.
Why not? Is the argument here that western intelligence agencies do bad stuff at a bigger scale than the FSB and the MSS? I’d love to see evidence of that.
I think the truth is that western intelligence agencies face far more scrutiny. The FSB can (attempt to) murder leading opposition politicians without any meaningful domestic criticism, the same is absolutely not true of western services.
But from whom did you get that information about FSB and MSS? CIA and MI6 may assassinate anyone as they please because there is no one to expose them. At least we know that Mossad doesn't have problem with killing politicians, scientist and journos.
> because there is no one to expose them
I do not believe this. Why do you think so?
I do not believe this. Why do you think so?
Yes, exactly. Or would you rather live in a China or Russia dominated world? Good luck. (Again, I am not saying they are not bad, I am saying they are not the same.)
It’s a fair lot of money for a civil rights NGO. Even if you take a small one like Bellingcat, salaries won’t pass $60k, meaning you could staff a full on team of decent journalists of 10 people for four years.
The more I read it, the more I thought: yeah, good thing. Sponsoring good cause. Why not more?
Honestly, I'm the opposite of a fan of past CIA actions -- I thought. If this wants to discredit the NED, I think it does it in a weird way. It's more like: let's write a supporting article, by very badly criticising? Weird, just very weird.
Honestly, I'm the opposite of a fan of past CIA actions -- I thought. If this wants to discredit the NED, I think it does it in a weird way. It's more like: let's write a supporting article, by very badly criticising? Weird, just very weird.
No doubt that Washington's efforts through NED and other organisations have beeen extremely succesful globally in setting the aganda and basic assumptions in all media coverage, particular at a time where independent media has become less and less economically viable.
How do we decide who are the bad guys in Myanmar, Syria, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Balochstan etc.? The answer lies those groups mentioned in the article.
How do we decide who are the bad guys in Myanmar, Syria, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Balochstan etc.? The answer lies those groups mentioned in the article.
> All are seen as on the progressive end of the political spectrum
Bellingcat is not seen by me as being "on the progressive end of the political spectrum". They're strongly anti-communist.
That claim makes me doubt Declassified UK.
Bellingcat is not seen by me as being "on the progressive end of the political spectrum". They're strongly anti-communist.
That claim makes me doubt Declassified UK.
Anti-communist is progressive.
That depends on what your definition of "anti-communist" is.
Given that there are a lot of people who see stuff like universal healthcare insurance, usable public transport or a livable minimum wage as socialist/communist, "anti-communism" can be outright reactionary/ultra-conservative in reality.
It's fine to be against authoritarian communism (China/NK-style governments) / existing "realsozialismus" governments (e.g. Cuba, Venezuela). But labelling actually positive policies like the ones I mentioned as "socialist"/"communist" and opposing these on the banner of "anti-communism" is pretty bad.
Given that there are a lot of people who see stuff like universal healthcare insurance, usable public transport or a livable minimum wage as socialist/communist, "anti-communism" can be outright reactionary/ultra-conservative in reality.
It's fine to be against authoritarian communism (China/NK-style governments) / existing "realsozialismus" governments (e.g. Cuba, Venezuela). But labelling actually positive policies like the ones I mentioned as "socialist"/"communist" and opposing these on the banner of "anti-communism" is pretty bad.
Perhaps I should have said "anti-russian". They're partisan, and very much not socialist.
I'm not sure what "progressive" means. I think it's yet another in the trail of euphemisms used in the USA to refer to policies that have been associated with official enemies, such as "socialist".
I'm not sure what "progressive" means. I think it's yet another in the trail of euphemisms used in the USA to refer to policies that have been associated with official enemies, such as "socialist".
"anti-russian" just like "anti-german" has double meaning. I guess you wanted to say that they are actively working on undermining the credibility of current Russian government.
Why couldn’t we have done a massive propaganda campaign for vaccination and masks? I can’t think of anything more vital to national security and well-being and it’s been basically radio silence. I wanted Rosie the Riveter style posters on every street corner and bus. 858,000 Americans are dead. I wish the CIA had worked on that instead of dicking around on pointless shit like this.
NED funding is easily and openly given to tons of entities and doesn't come with strings attached. It's no more evidence of being a 'CIA funded propaganda op' than receiving money from the Open Society Foundation makes you a Soros shill as others have also ridiculously claimed.
There are valid criticisms worth making against Bellingcat, and legitimate unease at the role being played by independent and unaccountable entities like it in our discourse. Declassified UK doesn't seriously try to address any of them.